Karate is one of the major forms of martial arts in the world. It can be practised as an art of self-defence or as a combat sport. Karate originated in Japan and a practitioner of karate is called karateka. Sri Lanka also has many young karatekas and karate schools where young boys and girls can learn the art.
One of them is Bimasha Dewmini Sampaya who is a young, up-and-coming karateka who will stop at nothing in her quest to reach the top. She has excelled in higher grade karate performances and won the gold medal for Kumite and the bronze for Katha at the Sri Lanka Schools Senior Karate Championships 2022 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo recently. 
Education
Bimasha started her primary education at the Heiyanthuduwa Sangha-mitta Maha Vidyalaya and after the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination she enrolled at Visakha Balika Vidyalaya in Sapugaskanda.
Bimasha is now in Grade 13 of the Arts stream at Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha and her subjects include Political Science, Geography and History.
Karate career
When she was in Grade 3 Bimasha participated in her maiden karate tournament in Malaysia and won gold and silver medals. In her karate career, Bimasha participated in many local and international karate championships and won several medals.
In the fifth South Asian Karate Championship in Bangladesh in 2019 she won the second place. In the Asian Karate Championship held in Sri Lanka she won first place in Kumite.
In 2016, she also participated in the Commonwealth Games which was held in India.
Young Bimasha kept improving in her talents under the guidance of Coach Mahesh Chandra Kumara as well as other coaches, Sanjeewa Senanayake, Anura Liyanage, Deshadi Cooray and Kalyani.
Multi-talented
Overall Bimasha is a multi-talented and promising star in Sri Lankan sports. She is not only a karateka, she is also a good athlete who won several medals in the Western Province athletic meets in the hurdles and marathon. She has many in-born talents such as drawing, speech and debating. She participated in many art competitions and won medals.
Family
Bimasha’s father, Sisira Ruwan Sampaya and mother Udayanthi Ranatunga have been an inspiration and encouragement to her. They are her strength and motivation. Her elder sister, 
Tharushi Sewmini Sampaya is also a karate champion and has helped and guided her.
Bimasha will always be grateful to her father, mother, sister, brother, coaches and the Principal of Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya in Gampaha as well as her teachers and school mates who support and encourage her in karate.
Her dream is to represent Sri Lanka some day at the Olympic Games and become a lawyer in the future. The Junior Observer extends goods wishes to Bimasha for all success.