Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 17: Over 500 martial artists from 20 different states are participating in the three-day seventh sub-junior national Tong IL Moo Do championship at Indoor Stadium here.
The championship kick started this afternoon when Afrin Haider, a class 11th student, showcased self defence techniques and body flexibility to have the crowd mesmerized. Then students from different schools, including New Convent, performed cultural items, which in no time stuck a chord with the spectators.
Many of the top Indian players like Afrin Haider, Adnan Ayoub, Mukal Chowri and Mohammad Inam Khan would be seen in action during the championship which will have around 20 teams, including Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Gujarat and Kerala. The national championship will have 60 weight categories.
The inaugural performance was followed by encouraging words of the chief guest from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Wing President Waheed UL Rehman Parra.
“Im really happy to see such events being organised by the youth of Kashmir. Such national events will give lot of exposure to our youth. I have seen this association organizing such national events in the past as well and I congratulate them for giving a platform for the youth of the state to show their talent,” Parra said.
“There are around 500 participants from different States, participating in this national event. I’m really happy because I was given this opportunity to organize this national championship after successfully organising a district event last month. I’m the first female who has organized this mix martial art championship not only in J&K, but rest of the India,” Bisma Riyaz, who is the organizing secretary of this event, said.
“I’m satisfaction with the overall performance so far, over 20 States are participating in this event. This year has for far been amazing for the sport in the state,” Jammu and Kashmir Tong IL Moo Do Association (JKTMA) General Secretary Arshad Aziz said.
“The responsibility of organizing this national championship was entrusted on us after the state body successfully hosted a Sub-Junior National championship in Srinagar last year, where players from 18 different state of India participated,” he added.
“Our state is full of talented athletes, but we lack even the basic facilities, like proper equipments. However, our players still manage to perform impressively at both national and international levels. If we are given the facilities provided to the players from rest of the country, we will perform much better,” Kashmiri player Adnan Ayub, who has represented India at international championships, said.
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