It was an impressive feat.
The 13-year-old won the U52kg senior girls and the senior girls open weight.
She is now a four time age group national champion after winning gold medals at the nationals in Rotorua both in 2019 and 2022.
She has also competed at regionals in Whakatane and Palmerston North.
She took up judo five years ago as an alternative sport option. Family friends were involved.
‘‘I just fell in love with it,’’ she said.
It had all been plain sailing until earlier this year when she popped her collarbone at training.
It needed eight weeks to heal.
‘‘In training I was fighting a boy a bit heavier than me. We kind of rolled down and my shoulders went in together and he squashed me. My collarbone popped out,’’ she said.
Doctors opted not to pushed it back, but leave it to heal naturally.
‘‘They thought it was best, because of my age, to let it put it in itself, fix itself. So I was in a sling.’’
It was a common injury and has been Zara’s only injury in the sport.
She has made some good friends through judo, and encourages others to give it a try.
‘‘It’s just good. Whenever I go to comps I make friends, I just like winning as well,’’ she said.
Her judo coaches are Jason Coster and Moira de Villiers at Premiere Equipe Judo in Christchurch.
Zara travels once a week to the city for a two-hour training which includes stretches, rolls and techniques.
‘‘I have these (stretchy) bands and I just do turn-ins to help with my arms.’’
Judo involves competitors pinning their opposition, or throwing them straight on to their back and pinning them for 20 seconds.
‘‘I have good throws,’’ Zara said.
By Toni Williams
