Karate kids hit games
FOUR young karatekas from Phoenix are part of a 40-strong squad that flew out of South Africa yesterday (Tuesday) to participate in the Commonwealth Karate Championships in New Delhi.
Affiliated to the Association of Shotokan Karate Do South Africa, Abigail Govender, 11, Kevasha Mahabeer, 13, Himesh Sookoo, 22, and Chantal Kumarasamy, 30, aim to make an impression in the subcontinent.
Their karate instructor, Vijay Govender, a 5th dan black belt karateka, said this would be the second time she was going to the Commonwealth Champions but it would be a first-time experience for her charges. Govender represented her country when the competition was hosted by South Africa in 2009, but this time she is going as the coach of the South African team.
Abigail Govender, who holds a brown belt, is a Grade 6 pupil at Clayhaven Primary. She said: “I am excited to go on the trip. This is my first international competition and I hope to bring back a medal.”
She will take part in both the kumite (fighting) and kata (sequence of moves) sections of the competition.
Kevasha Mahabeer, who lives in Grove-End, holds a red belt and is in Grade 8 at Danville Park Girls High. This is also her first international competition. “I’ve taken part in lots of local competitions and competed in Mozambique last month when I won gold in both kumite and kata. I’m training hard and hope to bring home a gold medal again,” she said .
Himesh Sookoo, a businessman from Clayfield, will also be competing in his first international competition.
“I’ve been training five days a week, and while I have done well in both kumite and kata, my preference is kumite. I’m expecting the competition to be tough but I’ve psyched myself to not get overawed by my opponents in New Delhi,” said Sookoo.
Chantal Kumarasamy, an administration clerk, is the only one of the fourwho has international experience. The Brookdale resident, who earned her black belt eight years ago, will be going for her third dan grading next month.
She said: “In a physical sport like karate you cannot afford to get scared of your opposition. I am confident that I will come back with a medal.”
The Commonwealth Championships start on Friday.