Young Achiever: Jalandhar student clinches the top spot in the kickboxing championship

From Girish R Gowda to Manisha Vala to Siddharth, the Indian kickboxers have been bringing accolades to the country by winning Gold medals at various competitions. In fact, Gowda, a cancer survivor won a Gold medal at the Wako India Kickboxing Federation Championship in Delhi. He is a true inspiration for several athletes across the nation.

Therefore, it is not surprising that young athletes are taking to this sport like fish to water. Activities like MMA and kickboxing are gaining popularity as they provide physical fitness and foster focus and mental resilience. Offering kickboxing sessions at schools under extracurricular activity can provide students with diverse interests and hobbies to explore. One such amazing school is Apeejay School, Tanda Road, and its student Rabia Gupta.

A student of class VII, she won the Gold medal at district level kickboxing championship followed by a Bronze at the state level. She also won a Silver medal in the Light Contact School games and a Bronze at the Khedan Watan Punjab Dia 2023. She is all set to make a big splash at the upcoming championship – Khelo India — to be held by the end of November.

In a candid interview, the champion talks about her training regimen.

Tell us about yourself.

I have a keen interest in dance and kickboxing competitions. Over time I have achieved various medals in national and state level dance competitions. Within a short time, I was able to win four medals in different kinds of competitions in kickboxing.

Who is your role model?

My mother consistently motivates me to give my best effort, whether it’s in my studies or any other endeavours. She is my true inspiration and encourages me to actively engage in various sports and activities.

What is your training regimen?

I practice kickboxing at school only. I stay back and practice with my coach, every day for one hour. Whether it will become my profession, is too early to predict. But I know one thing– I won’t give up the sport.

A proud moment.

It was truly a proud moment when I won my first medal with my family in attendance. Another memory that stands out is a competition where I didn’t win in the final round. I was extremely dejected but my family and friends rallied around me and pampered me. That is when I realised that it was not the win that mattered but the love of the people around me.

Challenges that you faced.

I faced many challenges and difficulties during my kickboxing journey. When I made it to the district-level trials, I was very scared and nervous. But my mother was a pillar of strength for me. She told me that it’s very important to compete and not think of the result. She also told me that I needed to conquer my fear to achieve success. I applied the same strategy and went ahead with full focus. And here I am today with four medals in my kitty.

Advice you would like to give to upcoming athletes.

You must believe in yourself and overcome your fear. Once you trust yourself, you have already won half the battle.