Sureeya eyes ticket to Youth Olympic Games

PETALING JAYA: Karate exponent H. Sureeya Shankar (pic) has a chance to kick his way into the history books when he competes in the Youth Olympic Games qualification tournament in Umag, Croatia from June 29-30.

Sureeya got a breakthrough win for Malaysia in the Asian Junior Karate Championships in Okinawa, Japan last month.

He came out tops in the boys’ cadet (14-15) individual kumite below 52kg category after beating Japan’s Matsumura Kotetsu 6-2 in the final to become the first Malaysian winner in the Asian junior ranks.

In Croatia, Sureeya will compete in the boys’ kumite below 61kg category.

Malaysia Karate Federation (Makaf ) are also sending P. Barath (boys’ kumite) below 68kg and Sivanesan Geerijaieswaran (boys’ kumite below 61kg).

But Sureeya stands the best chance based on his current form so far this year.

He defended his title in the same category in the South-East Asia Karate Championships (SEAKF) in Manila in April and took the bronze in the Asian junior meet in Kazakhstan last year.

The trio are already in Eygpt for a training camp with coach Hany Keshta before heading to Croatia for their Olympic mission.

“It will be the first time karate will be contested in the Youth Olympics and it will be great if we can have a representative.

“There are two rounds of qualification tournament for those who have not qualified from the world rankings.

“The top two from the first qualification tournament qualifies and the others will go into the second qualification contest to determine another two spots.

“There are three categories each for male and female. But we are only vying in the male categories,” said Makaf secretary general Vincent Chen.