Kiara kicks butt in Japan

Local fighter Kiara Lakhram showed what the North Coast has got when she captained the University Sports South Africa (USSA) female karate all styles team last week in Japan.

“It was an awesome experience being in Japan, the mecca of karate, amongst the best University karate fighters and may I add the technical standard was mind blowing” said the pint size karate dynamite Kiara of her time at the World University Championships with close on 40 universities present.

Seasoned Protea coach Brando Pillay who mentors the USSA captain was delighted with his prodigy’s recent rise in the field of tournament karate, saying: “Kiara has sound work ethics and she has been rewarded for her ‘never give up’ attitude. I remain confident that she will continue to soar on the world karate tournament circuit.”

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Sensei Shiner Banyane, the head coach of the USSA team that participated in the World Universities Championships in Japan was also full of praise for his captain.

“She showed great leadership skills during the tough battle at the championships and I remain proud of her despite our team not making a podium finish.

“It was an excellent learning experience at the highest level of University karate.”

Kiara is a multiple national Karate SA and provincial medalist as well as a seasoned Protea athlete. She attends coaching workshops regularly at the Tongaat sports centre under the guidance of Protea coach Brando Shihan when she is not busy as a business science student at UKZN.

She is currently preparing for the Commonwealth Karate Championships scheduled for the end of November.

The president of Karate SA, Sonny Pillay Hanshi said the progress of today’s youth such as Kiara augurs well for the future especially now that karate is an Olympic sport under the auspices of the World Karate Federation.

The Karate SA President, who currently serves on the World Karate Federation’s technical commission further urged parents to be aware of “bogus” so called karate instructors (operating outside of Karate SA) in the North Coast with dubious black belt ranks as they in fact were misleading the karate loving children who need to be members of their provincial all styles body under the auspices of Karate SA.

For all karate inquiries in KZN, call 082 302 9504 or email lorenzo.pillay@gmail.com or senseiben30@gmail.com.

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