In 2014, K. Keerthana finished runner-up at the district-level taekwondo tournament held in Royapuram. She was deeply upset about missing the first place, and this failure served as a magic carpet that carried her to heights of glory.
She began to practise vigorously and the victories
Her latest achievement is winning the first prize at the State Games for Chief Minister’s Trophy in Taekwondo, organised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and held in Tirupur from December 26 to 29, 2016.
“I’m inspired by my friend Shamroz Begam who is a karate champion. I wanted to excel in a martial art as she had. In addition to the training in school, I go to a centre at ICF thrice a week. There, I’m coached by masters Mansoor Basha and Elangovan. Also, my parents and school teachers support and encourage me in pursuing the sport. I’m also a rank holder in academics,” says Keethana, a Class X student of Mar Thoma Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Virugambakkam.
She had earlier won gold medals at the zonal-, district- and divisional-level Taekwondo tournaments conducted by South Chennai Athletic Association of High and Higher Secondary Schools and also in the State-level sports and games competition conducted by the School Education Department. She represented Tamil Nadu at the the national-level tournament held in Telangana. She will participate in the National Federation Championship at Vizag in February 2017.“My aim is to represent India at an international tournament,” says Keerthana, who aspires to join the Indian Army.
