They won the crown but they aren't jumping for joy.
Victors Sameer Ali and Chelsea Mohan who took the over 20 crowns at the 4th Invitational Kuro Obi dojo Karate and Judo tournament are taking the win in stride. The two athletes are returning to active competition after a period of absence in the sport. They are aiming to recapture former glories that saw them medaling at the Commonwealth Championships in 2022.
00:00Despite becoming champions at the Kurooobi Dojo Karate and Judo 4th Invitational Tournament,
00:06both Samir Ali and Chelsea Mohan believe they are not yet at their best.
00:11Mohan is on her way back from injury while Ali is returning after time away.
00:15They are looking to regain the form they had when they medaled at the Birmingham Commonwealth Championships
00:20and were nominated for First Citizen Sports Foundation Awards.
00:24My performance was good in my opinion.
00:28There are definitely things to work on.
00:31You know, always need to improve and keep, you know, sharpening the edge on everything.
00:37I was a bit nervous, kind of, because I really didn't know what to expect.
00:43I've been training throughout the year, but at the competition, I feel it was different, but a good difference.
00:51The instructor, Dr. Wesley Dexter Shim, believes that they are maturing in the right time.
00:55He is maturing as well.
00:58I find him able to express his Kata performance in a more meaningful way that draws in the audience at this point in time.
01:09Chelsea has been part of our high-performance karate program since 2017.
01:16And as such, she is now a mature karate athlete, as I would call her.
01:25And she has reached a stage where she has been blossoming into a fine performer.
01:33In a sport that often goes under the radar, female athletes are difficult to find.
01:38Then it becomes a question of whether they can commit to the sport.
01:42But Mohan finds motivation.
01:44I think it's your mentality at the end of the day that can make or break you.
01:49If you have a good mindset, a positive attitude, and you're humble, it will carry you a long way.
01:56She's hoping that her drive could take her to the Olympics and one day spark a change to show that there's merit for those who remain loyal to the sport.
Be the first to comment