Shravan set on karate path to Olympic glory
WITH a keen eye for his target, it was only a matter of time before martial arts champ Shravan Ishwarlall landed the perfect blows to secure his Proteas colours in karate.
The 15-year-old of Glenhaven Drive, Brindhaven in Verulam, is the winner of the August Let’s Play prize following his exploits locally and abroad.
Shravan, a regular at the Colt shooting range in his home town when not training in the karate dojo almost five times a week, received his national colours after winning bronze in the zone 6 African Championships in Mozambique earlier this year.
That success catapulted the teenager towards the national honour, according to his instructor Shihan Brando Pillay of the Skisa karate school in Durban North. Pillay added that his black belt student also did well in Singapore and Indonesia last year at the Karate World Championships, where he went as far as the quarter-finals.
What started as a self-defence exercise 10 years ago turned into more than a hobby, and if Shravan maintains his growth he could well head to the 2024 Olympic Games.
Pillay believes Shravan’s character and outlook have set him on a path to becoming an Olympian. “He is a hard worker and humble despite his success over the past few years.
KZN champ
“He’s an ideal role model for a lot of the other youngsters,” Pillay said.
“He is ranked number three in the zone, is the current KwaZulu-Natal champion for Karate KZN, and in Karate South Africa he is ranked third in his age and weight division. He has a good chance at the 2024 Olympics if he continues to work hard and remains dedicated.”
Besides karate and shooting, Shravan enjoys scuba diving and fishing, and considers his academic studies just as important, said his mother, Raksha.
“He knows he can’t have one without the other, so he’s well balanced.
“My husband, Manoj, and I give him our full support and Verulam Secondary School is accommodating whenever he has to go to tournaments.”