Eight young players from the Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have clinched medals at the Tri-Nation South Asian Martial Arts Championship held in Nepal.
According to details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer KNO, seven out of the eight students, who are enrolled in the Leeniv National Academy Tral, secured gold medals, while one bagged a silver.
Farooz Ahmad, the head coach of Leeniv Academy, informed KNO that all eight students showcased exceptional skill and professionalism, defeating their opponents in the championship. He said seven students won gold medals, with one securing a bronze.
The successful players are Imaad Farooq, Ahmad Bin Nisar, Iyaad Farooq, Sheikh Azzan, Faizan Majeed Khan, Murshidah Irshad, Mir Ayaan Arshid, and Gurmeet Singh, he said.
Farooz said the students showed exceptional performance not only at the national level but also now on the international stage.
“These athletes are now eligible to participate in trials for the Martial Arts World Championship scheduled to take place in Iraq next month,” the coach said, adding that he is confident that they will continue to prove their mettle.
The victorious players expressed gratitude to their parents, coach, and the academy’s management for their “unwavering” support. They said winning medals is a recognition of one’s hard work and encourages sportspersons to further excel in their respective fields.
“At a time when people are spending most of the time on mobile phones and consume unhealthy diets, there is a need to engage youth in sports activities,” they said, adding that this will help in both physical and mental fitness besides keeping youth away from social evils—(KNO)