Athlone karate champion Zahra Boltman kicked butt at the 11th Annual Commonwealth Karate Championship 2024 in Durban, where she bagged no less than four gold medals and one bronze.
The championship showcased some of the world's top karate talent from 28 November to 1 December at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban.
Zahra, 19, competed in the elite U21 female kumite 55kg, senior female kumite 55kg and senior female team kumite division.
She explains: “The competition was tough but also good.
“It doesn’t feel real winning four gold medals and a bronze medal but I am happy with my achievements. The journey of training and having it all pay off was worth it.
“I believe I qualified because I worked hard, getting results and showing up for training.”
Zahra is no stranger to proudly representing her country. In September she returned from Tunisia after after attending the 2024 UFAK Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships, where she also scored big.
The talented young woman started doing karate at the age of 10 and says she grew up with the sport as her older siblings also did karate.
In 2019, she received her Protea colours at a karate tournament in Namibia and she is also a member of Karate South Africa.
The humble champ adds: “I was chosen to be sports woman of the year for two years in a row from my club, Karate Zen, and I have been a national champion in my divisions since 2019.
Proud mom Nuraan Boltman said that she tries her best to host fundraisers to get her daughter to competitions and is very happy with all that she has achieved so far.
Nuraan sasy: “I am super proud of Zahra's achievements. I've been with her to every training session and seen her grow into this amazingly talented athlete. She is such a dedicated karateka to the art of the sport.”
“She actually wants to start her own dojo - wanting to give back to the community and developing Protea athletes like herself while continuing her own training at her club, Karate Zen Honbu Dojo.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za