The Karate Contingent which participated at the ISKU Shotokan International Championship in, India posed for a photograph after their tournament. Nikithi Shehara Fernando is standing fourth from left in the photograph. (Picture by – Dilwin Mendis, Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent)
 Nikithi Shehara Fernando |
Thirteen year old up and coming yellow belt Karate holder and an athlete Warnakulasuriya Nikithi Shehara Fernando brought honour and fame to her school Sandalankawa Central College. She was born on 4th January 2008 and was admitted to the Grade One of Napokuna Junior School Makandura in 2013 and her first class teacher was Mrs. Lakmini.
When she was in Grade Four of that school she participated in the Inter House Sports Meet in 2016 and she won the Skipping Event and in the following year she came first in High Jump and third in Long Jump in the under nine age group and in 2018 she shifted to Sandalankawa Central and there too at the Inter House Sports Meet she came first in High Jump and third in Long Jump and did not participate at the Divisional Meet and in the following year too she won places in the above mentioned events. In the same year her parents Niroshan Fernando and Neela Priyangika Fernando encouraged her to take up to karate and after strenuous training in 2017 her first Karate Meet was Puttalam District in 2018 and she won a Gold Medal in Kumite at her first attempt and in the North Western Provincial Meet too she won a Gold Medal in Kumite and her teachers in Charge of Karate were Mrs. Umayangana and Mrs. Erandima and the coach is Sugath Kumara.
In 2019 she went on a tour of , India with her club Karate Contingent in 2019 and at the International Shotokan ISKU dual meet she won Silver Medals for Kumite and Kata under 12 events and it was a fine exposure for her Karate career.
Last year she participated in an Online Karate Tournament against India and she received a merit certificate for her performances. She is well supported by her Principal Asanka Chaminda.
