They say dynamite comes in small packages, this is certainly true for 10-year-old Khiyara Maria Seedat who has just become the youngest karate Black Belt in South Africa.
According to Khiyara’s father, Ahmed Shaheen Seedat, the young athlete showed an interest in karate at the tender age of one-year and four months.
“It was a Saturday morning, and I usually work on a Saturday, but on that day, Khiyara’s mother was at an event, so I was taking care of her. I was driving pass my karate dojo and decided to stop by to visit my instructor. While I was talking to him, she was playing around and watching the children who were going through their paces in their karate class,” said the proud father.
He said: “For the rest of the week, while she was in her cot, she would kick and punch. Every night she would bring her karate suit, which was presented to her as a gift, and ask us to dress her in it. She would point to my Black Belt and ask me to wear it as we sat down for dinner. She would also say to me, ‘Pappa, Kia’. The following Saturday I took her to the dojo and there has been no looking back since. I stopped working Saturdays and karate lessons became our father-daughter time.”
Seedat said: “She would follow instructions at a very early age and that at two- years-old Shihan Jogie and I began to teach her the bow (stick) kata.”
Two days after she turned three, Khiyara took part in the under 5 category in the South African Karate and Kickboxing Championship under Kancho Alex Tebutt in 2015. “She did us very proud by winning both the bow kata and the kumite, which also made her the youngest in South Africa to win the Championship in her category,” said Seedat.
The following three years, 2016, 2017 and 2018, Khiyara won the South African Karate and Kickboxing Championship. “By winning the South African Karate and Kickboxing Championships Khiyara Maria has not only been awarded her KwaZulu-Natal colours but also her Protea colours as well.” said Seedat.
Over the years there have been local tournaments which Khiyara had participated in KZN and won. Her favourite kata is now the katana kata which is a kata performed with a real samurai sword.
The gradings comprise of two belts for each coloured belt. Khiyara graded for her red belts during 2014 and 2016, her blue belts during 2017 and 2018, her yellow belts during 2020, her green belts during 2021, her brown belts during 2022 and finally her black belt.
Under the tuition of her father and Shihan Abdul Latiff Jogie, Khiyara received her Black Belt on 19 March. Kancho AlexTebutt (10th Dan Black Belt) , Shihan Abdul Latiff Jogie (7Th Dan) and her father Shihan Ahmed Shaheen Seedat (5th Dan) graded Khiyara.
“To achieve her black belt at such an early age, 10-years-old, is a very great achievement. I am deeply thankful to God Almighty for Khiyara’s successes. My wife Laila and I, are extremely delighted and proud of her. She’s our shining star and little karate princess. My wife Laila is our biggest cheerleader who has given us all the moral support over the years,” said Seedat.
Talking about her grading, Khiyara said: “I was involved in a two-hour written examination on 17 March about the history of Kyukushin Karate (Japanese terminology refereeing coursework and different karate techniques). On 18 March, I had to do an intensive stamina test which involved numerous intensive physical exercises such as knuckle pushups on concrete in a handstand position. I had to show my fighting techniques on a punching bag. I had to answer oral questions in Japanese and follow instructions in Japanese. I had to fight kumite. I was tested on my katas and I had to break three tiles.”
“I feel great to have this achievement and I have so much to thank my parents, my instructors Shihan Jogie and my father Shihan Shaheen and friends but I know that God only gave me the power, strength and wisdom to do this and without God I have nothing. I have been doing karate since I was a baby so its kind of normal but I am quite shocked about my achievement. I always feel like a normal kid who loves to play games, loves toys and loves her friends and family,” said the 10-year-old karateka.
In addition to taking part in karate tournaments, Khiyara says she dreams of one being an instructor. “Hopefully I will be fit enough to continue karate for the rest of my life. I also would like to have the opportunity of participating in an International World Karate tournament and God willing I will become a Sosai one day (10th Karate Master),” she said.
Kancho Alex Tebutt(10th Dan Karate Grand Master), and Shihan Ahmed Shaheen Seedat (5th Dan Karate Master)
