Punjab win national karate championship

Hoshiarpur, November 13

Punjab won the 9th national karate championship organised by the Okinawan Gojuryu Karate Federation of India (OGKFI), led by international karate judge Shihan Jagmohan Vij.

The teams of Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were adjudged the first and second runners-up respectively.

In the senior open challenge men category, Akarshit Bajaj made a big upset, defeating Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vasu Kumra in a tough competition.

In the junior category, Ripdaman Singh Bhopal won the title defeating Aaditya Bakshi. In the sub- junior boys’ open challenge contest, Karan Thakur of Punjab won the title by defeating Somu Bind of Chhattisgarh. Gurmeen Kaur, who recently represented India in the World Karate Championships in Chile, won the women open title by defeating Deepika Joshi. The winners were honoured with Sardar Pyara Singh Kang and Sardarni Bachan Kaur Kang Memorial Trophies. —OC