Players credit their coach for achievements

PAMPORE: Twenty-eight players from the Pampore and Awantipora areas of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have won 15 gold and 13 silver medals in the 2nd Mix Boxing Championship recently held in SK Indoor Stadium Srinagar.
The players were trained by the head coach of Martial Arts Academy Pampore, Sajad Ahmad Bhat.
A resident of Namblabal, Pampore, Sajad told Kashmir Reader that Jammu and Kashmir’s players won 34 medals. He said that players from Pampore and Awantipora won 28 medals in the championship.
The players were excited about their performance.
The winning players were felicitated by Sajad at the Iqbal Stadium Tanchibagh Pampore during a function. He congratulated the medallists, both boys and girls, from Pampore and Awantipora for this remarkable achievement.
The players who have won gold medals in the event are Shah Younis, Zehran Ashiq, Hashim Ashraf, Sahil Ibrahim, Kamran Gulzar, Rayed, Numan Tariq, Sehraan, Mukadas Muskaan, Arsheeka Muzaffar, Ansheera Mushtaq, Arbeena Riyaz, Soliya Latif, Sadaf Riyaz, Sana Riyaz, while silver medals winners include Mufti Tanha Niyaz, Moonis Mushtaq, Bilal Nisar, Suhail Ahmad Dar, Mohammad Shoaib Wani, Tajamul Ahmad Naik, Umar Ismail, Muqeet, Misba Javaid, Basila Iqbal, Anika Riyaz, Tabasum Shafi and Samiya Gulzar.
Talking to Kashmir Reader, the first South Asian Thai Boxing gold medalist Shah Younis said he defeated Sri Lanka, Nepal, and others in the championship which was held from May 5 to 7.
Younis, a resident of Namblabal Pampore has participated in various championships and won 14 nationals in the Mix Martial Arts, Pencak Silat Thangta, Arnis, Mix Boxing, Kick Boxing and Thai Boxing and other games federation of India two times in Thangta and Thai Boxing, and secured bronze medal in All India Inter University Pencak Silat twice and secured bronze medal.
Sadaf Riyaz, who participated in the championship for the first time, won the gold medal. Her father Riyaz Ahmad said she joined martial arts recently. “It was her first competition and she won gold,” he said, adding that her winning has made them feel proud of their little daughter.
Kalish Muskaan said, “I represented India and won the gold medal in the 2nd world mix boxing championship by defeating Sri Lanka.
Arbeena Riyaz, another player, said, “I represented my country at the international level and brought laurels. Winning the gold for the country is a great feeling.” She credited her coach Sajad sir for the achievement.
Similarly, Sana Riyaz said she is happy to have won the gold.
Talking to Kashmir Reader, the players during the practice at Iqbal Stadium Tanchibagh Pampore demanded an indoor facility so that they can practice the game during the rain and snow.
Coach Sajad Ahmad Bhat said that in the recently-held 2nd world mix boxing championship, a good number of players from Pulwama, Budgam and Srinagar participated. “28 players from Pampore and Awantipora in Pulwama district participated in the championship and they won around 25 medals. This was 100 percent performance,” he said, adding that many countries including Nepal, Indonesia, Jordan, Uzbekistan and others participated in the championship.
He said that India won a maximum number of medals and finished at the top. “Sri Lanka was runner-up and Nepal secured the third position,” he said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir, which hosted the championship, won 34 medals which included 18 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze medals. The players hope to touch new heights in this game in the future, he said.
Sajad, however, appealed to authorities to construct an indoor room for players in Pampore so that they can practice the game during winter. “A proposal for construction of indoor sports facility at Pampore was submitted to the office of ex-Deputy Commissioner Pulwama by the concerned tehsil authorities, and the file is pending in the office,” he said.
The coach appealed to DC Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom to look into the matter.

BILAL HABIB