SCV’s Little Big Shot – Teenage black belt Kieran Tamondong performs for Steve Harvey

 Millions of American kids have grown up watching the high-flying, wisecracking, pizza-loving ninja turtles and action-packed Power Rangers, but for 14-year-old Kieran Tamondong of Valencia, the shows were the inspiration for something more.
At a young age, he realized he enjoyed performing or being what his mom calls “a jokester,” and he fixated on the karate-filled kid shows on television.  The energetic young boy was fascinated by the action moves on screen, and he loved watching movies – enough that he’s already begun carving his niche in both arenas.
Instead of joining the ninja turtles fan club or settling for the Power Rangers video game, the 5-year-old asked his parents if he could take a karate class at a nearby dojo, the Rising Sun Karate Academy in Stevenson Ranch.
“Karate is always something I’ve been interested in,” Kieran said.  “My parents knew I had an interest in karate, so I tried a class and I loved it.  We started going there regularly, two to three times a week.”
Since then, the teenage karate champion has been featured in TV shows, including a recent appearance on Steve Harvey’s Little Big Shots and Beyonce music video, as well as garnered success at karate tournaments throughout the world.
Kieran began competing by age 6, and within a year or so, he noticed a difference in how he was acting.  Karate was becoming more than just a pastime, he said.
In addition to world travel, meeting celebrities and TV appearances, Kieran said karate has taught him so much, and he’s grateful to his parents, sensei and coaches who help him train and motivate him to improve.  When the world-travelled teen talks about his experiences in the sport, it’s hard to tell he’ll be a freshman in the fall.
“At first, it was the cool moves,” he said, explaining karate’s initial appeal.  “After a while, I realized karate wasn’t just about that.  It teaches you self-control, self-respect and respect for others.”
In 2011, Kieran began competing in the Black Belt Division of tournaments before he earned his own black belt, and he realized karate was something he wanted to take seriously.  His accomplishments in the sport include numerous world championship titles he’s earned in places as far away as Italy and Bolivia, as well as a No. 1 ranking from SportMartialArts.com.
He also still enjoys being a performer, he added, clearly awestruck when he talks about his meetings with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Kieran’s ability to garner roles is due to the athleticism, skill and performance he’s gained through his training, a combination on display during his guest appearance on Little Big Shots.  Kieran had the show’s host follow-the-leader while Kieran showed off a few basic moves, then lost Harvey when the SCV’s karate kid began doing front flips and corkscrew kicks in front of his friends, family and a studio audience.
“It was so much fun,” Kieran recalled.  “The fact that I was a few inches from him was just mind-blowing.  He was really nice, and he was hilarious.”
Kieran has been training consistently, sometimes as often as five times a week before big tournaments, since he first started taking classes at Rising Sun.  The 13-year-old, who’s headed to West Ranch High School next fall, also enjoys the video game versions of the action figures he looked up to as a younger child, and when he’s not fitting in homework, training and any potential auditions around his school schedule, he tries to fit in the typical teenage rounds of Mortal Kombat, Fallout 4 and Call of Duty video games.
He’s hopeful he’ll be able to continue pursuing stage opportunities – like the Hold Up music video for Beyonce and the Sketchers commercial he’s going to be in this summer – and not have a conflict with his regimented training schedule.
“Since I got a manager, I’ve been taking an interest in that,” Kieran said of acting, but he added he would also like compete in the Olympics in martial arts, if possible, in 2020.  “I’d love to do both, so I hope there’s no conflict.”
For more information about Kieran Tamondong, visit www.facebook.com/kierantamondongfan.

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