Sibling power punches into World Kickboxing Championship

They share the same surname —and now, the same championship dream.

Sisters Aaisha Lachporia, 14,  Zahia, 11, and Nabiha, 8, from Ormonde, Johannesburg, will be competing together on an international stage, trading kicks and punches when they step into the ring for the upcoming World Kickboxing Association (WKA) Championship in Sheffield, England.

With each bout, the Lachporia siblings in Grades 8, 5 and 3, will aim to prove that strength runs in the family.

“It is exciting to stand on the world stage as sisters and to experience this as a family. It feels like a dream come true to have the opportunity to go to England together to represent our country in a sport that we’ve loved and practiced for years. There is a special kind of strength that comes from doing this together,” said Aaisha, speaking on behalf of her sisters.

Her kickboxing journey began when she stepped into the ring at just 4 -years old—and it wasn’t long before Zahia and Nabiha jumped in on the action too.

"Nabiha pretty much grew up with kickboxing as part of her life. Zahia and I were always practicing our moves and always talking about kickboxing so it wasn’t just a sport anymore, it was part of our family routine,” she said.

Whether they’re in the dojo or dealing with everyday life, the siblings always have each other’s backs.

“We’re not just sisters, we’re teammates. Having this opportunity with each other is comforting and adds extra motivation because we want to make each other proud. It is also really cool that we get to share every moment of this journey with each other, from early morning training sessions, to fundraisers, to passport applications, etc. Everything about doing this together makes it all so memorable, said Aaisha.

They encourage one another during training and their unique strengths enhance each other's performance.

“We definitely have healthy competition between us, we’re always trying to be better than each other but in a good, healthy way. We train together about four times a week, so we pretty much see what the other is working to improve or where one of us might be struggling. We offer each other tips and advice and act as sparring partners. It’s a mix between tough love and complete support,” she said.

The siblings know each other’s strengths and limits so well, that they can spot a half-hearted workout and are not shy about calling each other out on it, said Aaisha.

“We try to hold each other accountable to always be the hardest worker in the room like our teachers encourage us to be. We’re probably each other's toughest critics but we also celebrate every small win. We’re there for the losses too. We lift each other up after tough fights – because we know how much courage it takes to go out there for every fight and sometimes the results just don’t go your way,” she said.

Aaisha acknowledges that many people are often surprised to learn that they train in kickboxing, as the sport is traditionally associated with boys and men.

“We’d like girls and boys to both know that they can do anything that they put their mind to. Specifically, though, we want to inspire other young girls to tackle real and perceived gender barriers, while pursuing excellence. We want other young girls to know that they are strong, beautiful, and unstoppable,” she said.

The siblings are members of the SKR Martial Arts Academy, led by Shihan Abdullah Bayett, who holds a 7th degree blackbelt. Beyond physical training, the academy fosters community development through sport, empowers women in traditionally male-dominated disciplines, and equips the youth with skills and coping-mechanisms that transcend the dojo (school).Their programmes serve as a platform for social upliftment, providing safe spaces for everyone in general, and for marginalised groups in particular.

The girls instructor, Jun Shihan Sufyaan Morat, said watching them grow into the mature fighters that they have become has been nothing short of amazing.

“From their very first class to now, their dedication, hard work and discipline have brought them to this point in their training journey. This is just the beginning of an amazing martial arts journey for each of the girls. As instructors, we are extremely proud of these achievements, and we look forward to all the achievements that are yet to come. Representing your country is a really big deal and it's time that they show us what they are really made of ”, said Morat.

For their dad Abdur Razzaq Lachporia and mum Neelofa Ghanny, it’s not about the medals or the titles.

“Look, everyone trains to win but for us, it’s about the confidence and resilience that they’ve built and overcoming their fears and self-doubts. We’ve watched them grow from shy little girls into confident young girls and for us, that’s the big prize. We have never wanted our daughters to be stereotyped by gender and we are grateful to SKR for providing them with a platform to challenge societal norms and to be able to play a part in changing the narrative for more inclusivity in sport,” said Ghanny.

She said as parents they are immensely proud that their daughters, at such a young age, are representing South Africa.

“Our role has been to provide encouragement and support along their individual journeys. This opportunity is a testament to their hard work, discipline, and their love for the sport”, said Ghanny.

To assist with raising funds to cover the costs of the sisters trip, their parents have set up a backabuddy page: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/kickboxing-world-championships~2

The siblings will join 25 other athletes from their dojo—a diverse group of children, teenagers, and adults—competing in the WKA World Championship, scheduled to take place from October 16 to 19, with participants from 40 countries. 

SUNDAY TRIBUNE