Siyavuya Mzantsi
CAPE Town teenager Tasneem Cozyn has brought home a gold medal in the women’s under-21 68kg kumite division after beating her Russian opponent at the 8th World Karate Federation WKF and World Youth Cup in Umag, Croatia, at the weekend.
Before she left, the South African under-21 junior and senior women’s karate champion had difficulty securing sponsorship to go and compete in Croatia
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A 2nd dan black belt, 18-year-old Cozyn is a matriculant and prefect at Muizenberg High School. She is also a member of the Proteas karate team.
Her proud mother, Lamees Cozyn, said she eventually received sponsorship from “a well-known and very kind-hearted South African” who did not want to be named.
The Cozyn family, from Lakeside, near Muizenberg, were able to watch their daughter’s semi-final and the final as the event was live-streamed on Sports Data.
“She was smaller than her Russian opponent, but the fight was over in less than 30 seconds with a score of 9-1. Normally they fight for two to three minutes. She surely made certain no one ever disputed her winning South Africa’s only Gold,” said Lamees.
Her daughter showed once again that “dynamite comes in small packages for a reason”.
“We saw the Russian compete. In her semi-final fight, she dislocated her opponent’s arm.
“I hoped and prayed that she didn’t go too hard on Tasneem, and thought that at least Tasneem wouldn’t come (home) empty-handed. Silver is better than nothing,” she said yesterday.
Tasneem has taken part in karate for the past 12 years and has been the national junior women’s under-21 champion for the past four years. She became the national senior women’s under-21 champion in May.
“I am very proud of what my daughter has achieved. I could not do anything as I was anxiously waiting for her to compete. It’s a very good feeling,” Lamees said.
She added that her daughter would return home today.