Black belt Warunie out to make history in Moscow

Shantha Talpawila from Moscow

KARATE: Warunie Abeysekara, a 24-year-old, third year Sri Lankan student in Moscow's Russian Peoples' Friendship University (former 'Patrice Lumumba University' ) in the faculty of Engineering, will hold her debut individual international marshal art show on 12th of May 2007 at the university's 'inter-club' hall in Moscow.

It is significant to note that, this Karate display from Warunie will go down in history as the first ever marshal art show to be staged by a Sri Lankan in Russia.

Facing challenges in life was a trait she seems to have inherited from her parents; father - retired Assistant Superintendent of Police S. Abeysekara, a devoted serviceman and a brave defender of the nation's law and order surely must have instilled in Warunie discipline and love to take part in a manly sport like Karate and mother Mrs. Indrani Abeysekera, ex-school teacher has surely inspired her daughter in studies.

Warunie, an old girl of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda got through successfully her A/levels becoming eligible to enter local university but preferred the scholarship she won for studies in Russia's famous Lumumba university.

In the subject of karate where, Sri Lankan women are rare, Warunie was a student of black belt holder Anusha Liyanage who, currently undergoes higher education in Japan and guided by the Karate instructor black belt holder Clement de Soysa, she has mastered up to the level of black belt in Karate already in her university days.

In Moscow in 2005 facing a serious international examination in front of the regional karate instructor for Russia from Japan - Karate Guru- Satha Sayetso Warunie took another big step upgrading her black belt up to '1st Dan'.

Thus she is now a fully-fledged black belt ranked Karate master, bringing fame not only to her parents, Karate teachers and school Dharmasoka but also honour to our small island - Sri Lanka, which has a high reputation among other countries for its skilled and studious youth who have graduated with honours from universities in Russia (former USSR) since 1960s.

As she is preparing herself and her assistants for the show in front of an audience of approximately 300 selected guests, no release from her routine studies and exams are allowed anyway, she says, without grumbling. But, in fact she faces a series of problems in connection to organizing this event such as lack of time and limitations in sources in circumstances of studying in Russia.

It is no exaggeration that, for any foreign student, just attending to studies in Russia alone, without even taking part in any extra activities, is quite hard and tough job really. Hence, her ability to organize the event itself is praiseworthy not to mention the success of the show, which she is sure of.

Karate, in the Shoulin tradition is a popular sport and a marshal art in Russia. Oriental marshal arts such as Judo and Karate were given greater publicity in Russia seemingly after Vladimir V. Putin, a great lover of sports and a master in Judo - became president of Russia.

In Warunie's University, sport is mandatory while Karate yet is not among sports commonly in use among her fellow students. Therefore her exposure of karate skills in such a show is rare and accordingly going to be highly appreciated by sport loving youth and professionals in the university and outside.

Warunie's Karate show consists of twenty-five items- under 4 main categories- Kata (show of styles), Kihon (basics of Karate), fights and defense and show of skills (breaking hard objects). She will be assisted by some masters of Karate and other Karate schools invited for the occasion by Warunie The show is planned to go on for one hour and 30 minutes.

The University's Rector, deans of faculties, Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Moscow, representatives from the Sri Lankan and Russian business communities and other invitees are going to be among guests of the event.

She wishes to thank everybody who have contributed to the success of the event - especially her teachers in the University, Sri Lankan ambassador in Moscow, all sponsors and last but not least her friends and fellow students in Moscow's Russian People's Friendship University.