Likuta Persis Tissicca

Most people will have been part of a club growing up, especially in school. In fact, more and more children these days are being enrolled in martial arts classes as a form of self-defence. For Likuta though, it was all about joining a club so she could do an activity along with all her friends. However, when her coach saw her potential, he encouraged her to practice more and try out for the nationals. Likuta Persis Tissicca is a Taekwondo champ from Dimapur, Nagaland. She has been coached at her school from the start. Likuta says she wasn’t particularly keen about competing in the beginning, but with her coach’s motivation and support, Likuta represented Nagaland and won gold in the Under-41 kg category at the 12th National Taekwondo Championship 2021. She also won gold in the Under-41kg category at the Dimapur District Taekwondo Championship in 2021 and in the Under-32kg (sub-junior girls) category in the 32nd Nagaland State Taekwondo Championship in 2019. Likuta considers her coach to be her role model and draws inspiration from her mother. She is also greatly supported by her school in her endeavour. From providing her coaching to appreciating her efforts and allowing her the time and space needed to participate in competitions nationwide. Unlike a lot of other athletes her age, this 15-year-old is honest about the fact that she hasn’t really considered Taekwondo as a career sport. She does have Olympic dreams, but her ultimate goal in life is to be an entrepreneur. However, the fact that she is good at the sport has meant that she has been able to garner a lot of praise for herself as well as her school but winning medals and trophies at multiple levels, district, state and national.