Rotary Club Choti Kashi Honors Asian SWAT Kickboxing Champions

The Rotary Club Choti Kashi, Mandi, felicitated nine athletes from the district who brought laurels to the nation by winning medals at the Indian Asian SWAT French Kickboxing Championship.

These talented athletes secured three gold, one silver, and five bronze medals, making Himachal Pradesh and the entire country proud.

Winners Honored with Traditional Himachali Caps and Awards

At a special ceremony, Rotary Club Choti Kashi Mandi President Anupama Singh and Secretary Raminder Kaur honored the victorious athletes by presenting them with traditional Himachali caps and cash awards as a token of appreciation for their outstanding performance.

Club President Anupama Singh Expresses Gratitude and Concern

Expressing her joy, President Anupama Singh shared that she was invited as the chief guest at the championship held in Delhi by the SWAT organization, but due to personal reasons, she was unable to attend.

However, she emphasized her immense pride in the athletes who, despite limited resources and support, excelled on an international platform and brought home multiple medals.

She further highlighted the lack of government assistance for these athletes, stating that their achievements were a result of sheer hard work and dedication, as the championship was organized by a private entity.

She urged the government to extend financial aid to promising athletes, just as significant funds are allocated for anti-drug campaigns, so that young sports talents receive the encouragement they deserve.

Rotary Club Members Extend Their Best Wishes

Several distinguished Rotary Club Choti Kashi Mandi members, including Munish Sood, Jaspal Singh, Brinda Sharma, and Hemlata, were present at the event and conveyed their heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the medal-winning athletes.

Grand Welcome for Victorious Athletes

The championship was held at Talkatora Stadium, Delhi, from February 9 to 12. Upon their triumphant return to Mandi, the athletes received a warm and grand welcome from their supporters and well-wishers.

Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh SWAT Association, Santoshi Sharma, and Team Coach India revealed that 23 athletes from Himachal Pradesh were selected for the 6th Asian SWAT Championship, a matter of immense pride for the state.

The team consisted only of gold medalists from the National Federation Cup 2024 and the National SWAT Championship 2024.

During the championship, held from February 8 to 12, Himachal Pradesh athletes scripted history by securing an impressive tally of three gold, one silver, and five bronze medals.

Medal-Winning Athletes

🏅 Gold Medalists
• Homani (48 kg category)
• Muskan (52 kg category)
• Sucheta (56 kg category)

🥈 Silver Medalist
• Roma (60 kg category)

🥉 Bronze Medalists
• Rekha (56 kg category)
• Sapna (70 kg category)
• Varun Walia (48 kg category)
• Rishabh Sharma (65 kg category)
• Rajat Sharma (75 kg category)

Apart from these medal winners, Mokshit Kaundal, Surya Pratap Singh Katwal, Harish Sharma, Pankaj Kumar, Anuj Chauhan, Dhruv Thakur, Kartik Thakur, Aditya Rawat, Krish Chauhan, Rahul Kumar, and Amar Chand Walia also showcased exceptional performances in the tournament.

India Secures Overall Championship Title

With a total haul of 34 medals, India emerged as the overall champion of the competition, marking a historic achievement for the country.

Munish Sood (Mandi)