Three Karatekas for Kudo World Championships in Japan

by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr

KARATE: Harsha Weerasooriya and Arshaq Ali Mohideen, two young karatekas from Kandy, left for Japan recently on a one-year scholarship and also to participate at the 3rd Kudo World Championship which will be held in Tokyo, Japan from 14th to 15th November 2009.

This two-year scholarship for the two young karatekas has been possible due to the efforts of Shihan J.M. Mohideen - the Regional Director for Kudo International Federation for the South Asian Region. Shihan Modideen states that he took this step to bring the Sri Lankan students to international standards and he also intends to continue this scholarship every other year.

This scholarship was conferred on the two karatekas for advanced and intensive full-time training in the Art of Kudo which is a practical and appealing full contact martial art where almost anything is possible such as kick, punch, throw, grapple, lock, choke etc introduced by Grand Master Asuma Takashi.Both Arshaq Ali and Harsha Weerasooriya are qualified instructors for schools and both have won many medals at local and South Asian levels bringing honour to the motherland. Both are Black Belt holders.

Twenty-four-year-old Harsha Weerasooriya pictured on left is a handicapped karateka as he is both deaf and dumb. He is the only Deaf and Dumb Instructor in Sri Lanka recognised by the Schools Karate-do - Association who is teaching students of same nature at the School for Deaf and Dumb at Dodanwela in Kandy.

Harsha Weerasooriya is a person with exceptional skills as he had excelled in painting in which he is a national award winner. He has a Diploma in Hair Dressing, Computer Designing and also mastered the art of Kandyan Dancing which he follows by the vibrations and to the music he has never heard in his life. He has won many events in India and locally.Arshaq Ali Mohideen is just 21 years and is an old boy of Kingswood College, Kandy. He is the son of famed karate exponent from the hill country Shihan J. M. Mohideen. For him take to martial arts was like taking a duck to water. Following his father's skills almost when he started walking, and took to martial arts when he was just six years and when he was 7 years he had won the 10th Kyu. At 15 years, he was a Black Belt. For him no other sport was of any attraction. It was karate or nothing.This duo will be joined D. L. Chandrasena of the Sri Lanka Air Force for the 3rd Kudo World Championship which will be held in Tokyo.