Kashmir’s karate kid emerges Asian champ

A primary school student from Bandipora district won the gold medal at the Asian Youth Karate Championship, becoming the second child in the sub-junior category to bring laurels to Kashmir in a fortnight.

A primary school student from Bandipora district won the gold medal at the Asian Youth Karate Championship on Tuesday, becoming the second child in the sub-junior category to bring laurels to Kashmir in a fortnight.

Hashim Mansoor at the martial arts training academy in Bandipora. (Waseem Andrabi/HT File Photo)

Seven-year-old Hashim Mansoor scored the distinction at the ongoing championship in New Delhi by defeating a fellow-contender from Sri Lanka. Karate champs from 19 countries are participating in the three-day-long event.

Last month, eight-year-old Tajamul Islam had won the gold medal at the World Kickboxing Championship in Italy. Both Islam and Mansoor were trained by the same coach, Faisal Ali.

Mansoor received a gold medal, a certificate and a memento from the organisers. The event was organised by the All India Youth Karate Federation.

A class 3 student, Mansoor began training a year ago at a small village academy run by Ali in a tin shed. He had little by way of training equipment — a number of mats, a few footballs, a couple of punching bags and gloves that children wore in turns.

Ali and Mansoor could not be reached over the phone.