Athlone karate kid returns with gold
Cape Town - Athlone karateka champion, Zahra Boltman is back from kicking butt at the 11th Annual Commonwealth Karate Championship 2024 in Durban where she bagged four gold medals and one bronze medal.
The championship showcased some of the world’s top karate talent from November 28 to 1 December at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban.
Boltman, 19, competed in the elite Under 21 female kumite-55 kg, senior female kumitei-55kg and senior female team kumite division.
“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,” said Boltman.
“I believe I qualified because I worked hard, getting results and showing up for training.”
Zahra is no stranger to proudly representing her country and returned from Tunisia in September after representing South Africa at the 2024 UFAK Cadet, Junior and U21 Championships.
She said that she started doing karate at the age of 10 years old 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.
“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 happy with all that she has achieved so far.
“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,” Nuraan said.
“She actually wants to start her own Dojo wanting to give back to the community and developing Protea athletes like herself, but continuing her own training at her Club Karate Zen Honbu Dojo.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za