Team SA athlete Ahmad Mahomed always had kickboxing in his DNA. For him, it is more than a sport. It has been passed down through his family lineage and has become a vessel to share their love, wisdom and legacy. Mahomed has just competed at The World Games in Chengdu, China, from where he told Mark Lemke about his love for sport, the importance of family, and what he is looking to achieve.
The 18-year-old grew up in Benoni, outside Johannesburg, in a family full of fighters. “My great grandfather was a boxer, and my grandfather and dad were both kickboxing world champions. I have been training since a kid, but when I began travelling internationally and meeting amazing people who shared the same interest, I fell in love with the sport.
“My family is the most important part of it for me. The love and support that we share every day has shown me that kickboxing is my passion.”
The teenage sensation is the senior African champion and won silver at the 2024 World Cup in Uzbekistan. His final fight to crown him vice world champion encompassed the meaning of family to him.
“My grandfather passed away before the world cup. It was very sad and difficult because he was such an influential person in my life and he left behind this kickboxing legacy. I went into that final injured and in pain, but I thought about him and I refused to let the pain take over or abandon the fight. He, and the rest of my family, motivate me to keep going.”
Outside of his training and competitions, Mahomed holds coaching classes and is aiming to attend The University of Pretoria to study orthopaedic surgery and open a kickboxing society.
“Kickboxing has taught me so much beyond fighting. I have learnt to respect others and to always be dedicated and work hard for what matters to me. It has also shown me the importance of supporting those you care about.
“I want to share what I have learnt, and what I will learn, with the world. Starting a club at The University of Pretoria will be the next step in growing kickboxing across Africa. I want to help make this sport an official Olympic event and my dream is to become Olympic champion.”
The teenager is proving that his big dreams are his for the taking. He had a tough quarter-final loss in China but has remained in high spirits saying, “it is another learning curve and it is time to push on.”
He hopes to be an Olympian at either the 2032 or 2036 Games and will have many high profile events to make it happen. As a fighter under WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations), he looks forward to many of their world cups and world championships, with the earliest being the world cup in October, where he can continue to add to his sensational resume.
