City youth bags gold at int’l karate championship

Jalandhar, December 3

Vasu Kumra, a city-based karate player of the Full Karate Academy, has made Jalandhar proud by bagging a gold medal in the under 21+84 kg male kumite category at the 9th Commonwealth Karate Championship held in Durban, South Africa, from November 30 to December 2.

As many as nine countries, including Sri Lanka, Namibia, Mauritius, and Botswana, participated in the championship. Vasu, who represented India in the championship, fought with South Africa in the final and won by score 12/3.

Vasu now also holds 19th rank in the World Karate Federation (WKF) world ranking in the under 21+84 category. As the first Dan black belt holder from the Karate Association of India, he already holds a tremendous record at the international and national levels. He has been ranked fifth in the Dubai Open Karate Championship, won a gold and two silver in the International Karate Championship and also a bronze in the Commonwealth Karate Championship last year.

He is now striving to achieve his dream and represent India in the 2020 Olympics. His coach Mahavir Sharma shared: “Karate around the globe and in other states is flourishing, but in Punjab, it holds no recognition. There is no support from the government. I have been training Vasu for eight years, he is dedicated and passionate and has his target fixed to make career in the field of martial arts.” — OC