Sohail Khan qualifies for 'Kudo Asian Championship 2025'
Kudo Asian Championship 2025: Sohail won the first bout by knockout against Biri Tasso of Arunachal Pradesh. In the final, he defeated Abhimanyu Godara of Rajasthan via submission.
India's best Kudo player, Sohail Khan, has secured his spot in the Indian squad for the 'Kudo Asian Championship- 2025'. The trials for the championship took place on 2 and 3 August at Athletica Fitness Center in Surat, Gujarat. Sohail qualified for the national squad by giving a stellar performance in the adult men- 250 PI category.
Sohail won the first fight by knockout against Arunachal Pradesh's Biri Tasso. In the final, he defeated Rajasthan's Abhimanyu Godara on submission. Through these two victories, he qualified for the Indian team for the championship to be staged in Tokyo, Japan from 1 to 4 November.
After the qualification, Sohail said, "It feels amazing to be selected to represent India again. Every bout is an opportunity to prove how hard I have worked. I am grateful to my coach, family and supporters. Now my full focus is on preparing for the Asian Championships and winning a medal for the country."
Sohail has trained under the guidance of coach Dr. Mohammad Ejaz Khan, who has played a key role in shaping his journey since the early days. The trials were conducted under the leadership of Hanshi Mehul Vora, founder of Kudo India and a key figure in the growth of the sport across the country.
Sohail's selection comes just weeks after he created history at the 'Kudo World Cup- 2025' held in Burgas, Bulgaria. He became the first Indian male athlete to reach the senior final in the history of the tournament and returned with a silver medal. He defeated top competitors from Bulgaria and Lithuania, but lost to Quentin Miramont of France by a narrow margin in the third round.
Sohail, a resident of Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, is known across India as the 'Golden Boy of Madhya Pradesh'. He has won 22 consecutive national gold medals, a rare record in Indian Kudo. He is also the Junior World Champion (2017) and a four-time gold medalist at the Akshay Kumar International Kudo Tournament. With the Asian Championships approaching, he is set to represent India once again and top the podium in Tokyo.
