KUALA LUMPUR — National karate athlete Shahmalarani Chandran has admitted she is still holding onto the Olympic dream despite the sport’s uncertain future on the global stage, saying the absence of karate from the games continues to affect athletes who are striving for the sport’s ultimate honour.
Speaking in Scoop’s Sport Check episode, Shahmalarani said the Olympic setback remains a difficult reality for karatekas, especially after the sport was excluded from future editions following its brief appearance at Tokyo 2020.
“I’m still in the sport, surviving and holding on to that one dream,” she said, adding that the Olympic stage remains the pinnacle for most athletes, regardless of discipline.
She described the Olympics as an “ultimate goal” that carries unmatched prestige, but acknowledged that karate’s exclusion has left athletes in a difficult emotional position.
“The Olympic dream is always there,” she said, adding that she hopes the sport will eventually return while she is still active in her career.
Shahmalarani said the uncertainty surrounding karate’s Olympic status has also impacted motivation and visibility, particularly for athletes competing in non-Olympic cycles.
“If it happens in 20 years, I can only be a spectator,” she said.
Karate has been campaigning for inclusion in the Olympics for decades, with efforts dating back to the 1970s.
The sport made its Olympic debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as one of four optional sports.
The top national karate exponents at that time – S. Prem Kumar, P. Madhuri and R. Sharmendran – failed to secure a spot in Tokyo after losing in the qualifiers.
Karate was excluded from the Paris 2024 Olympics in favour of breakdancing, despite its popularity in France.
In August 2022, the 2028 Los Angeles organising committee shortlisted nine sports: baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, karate, kickboxing, lacrosse, squash and motorsport.
However, the final selection included flag football, squash, baseball/softball, cricket (returning for the first time since 1900) and lacrosse (returning for the first time since 1908).
The World Karate Federation (WKF) continues to push for karate’s inclusion in future Olympics, with hopes pinned on the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Beyond the Olympic ambition, Shahmalarani also opened up on the mental and emotional challenges faced by elite athletes, stressing that public perception often only looks at results rather than the reality behind them.
“People only see the medals,” she said, adding that consistent podium finishes often hide the struggles, setbacks and losses that athletes endure in training and competition.
She explained that elite sport is far from a linear journey, with athletes frequently facing dips in performance even at the highest level.
“There will always be a dip anywhere, anytime. That’s how sport works,” she said.
Shahmalarani added that while victories bring motivation, defeats often require athletes to reset mentally while still maintaining discipline in training.
“When you lose, it is painful. But you still need to train. There is no exception,” she said.
Despite these challenges, Malaysian karate continues to produce results at regional and international levels, with athletes consistently delivering medals at SEA Games, Asian competitions and world events.
However, Shahmalarani noted that these achievements are often under-appreciated compared to more mainstream sports, despite the level of dedication required.
“We are still producing medals, but a lot of people only see certain sports,” she said, implying that recognition for karate remains limited.
She stressed that elite athletes often carry unseen pressures, balancing expectations, performance demands and personal sacrifices while representing the country on the international stage.
For Shahmalarani, the journey remains one of persistence rather than certainty — balancing the pursuit of Olympic qualification with the realities of competing in a sport still fighting for broader recognition.
Shahmalarani is one of Malaysia’s most accomplished karatekas, a multiple SEA Games gold medallist and a World Karate Championships silver medallist.
She has represented the country at elite level for more than a decade and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s most successful karate athletes on the international circuit. – June 3, 2026