Durban - While most toddlers are getting to grips with basic hand-eye co-ordination, a pint-sized karate aficionado has kicked her way to a championship title – at the age of 3.
Khiyara Maria Seedat, of Parlock, Durban, wowed her teammates and competitors at the South African Karate and Kickboxing Championships at the weekend – just a day after her third birthday – held in Brakpan when she won in the bo (stick) kata and kumite (fighting) under-five categories. She is the youngest child to have won in this category.
Her teammates also excelled, bringing 86 trophies home to Durban.
“I always say the day she was born was the happiest of my life but I have to say, seeing her perform so well and win, made the days of the tournament the best of my life,” said proud dad Sensei Ahmed Shaheen Seedat.
Seedat holds third dan (rank) black belt in the sporting code and started at the age of eight.
He helped ignite his daughter’s love for karate when she was 16 months old.
“I took her to Jogies dojo in Overport, where I was trained by the owner, Shihan Abdul Latiff Jogie, to meet everyone. I had a dream that when she was old enough, she would train there too.”
Seedat said the child became excited at the activity at the studio, so he showed her some of the kicks and punches. “That night in her cot, she appeared to be practising the kicks and punches. My wife, Laila, and I were so shocked.”
From then, dressed in the gi (traditional dress) especially made for her by Jogie, she began attending classes. “She didn’t want to take it off, even asking if she could sleep with it on every night. At first it was so big. I had to fold it up everywhere, but now it’s perfect.”
When she was 28-months-old, Jogie, from her immense progress, advised Seedat to enter her in the championship, with around 600 participants.
Seedat, who has also competed in world championship matches over the years, hopes that by the time she is a teenager Khiyara will be competing internationally too.
“Now I call her my little champion but she says she’s a ‘Princess Champion’,” he said, laughing.
Jogie, a sixth dan black belt holder who has been practising karate for 48 years and has competed all over the world, said training father and daughter had been an honour: “Shaheem is like a son to me so she is like my granddaughter. It’s very special to be able to teach her now.”
He said he was “immensely proud” of all the star team who won most of the trophies at the tournament.
Daily News