India enjoyed a real-life ‘Chak de’ moment after two young Kashmiri students scripted history winning gold medals in the in the 2016 South Asian Championship of Tong-Il-Moo-do which recently concluded in Bhutan.

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Coming from a humble background, nine-year-old Fazil Aziz, a fifth standard student of Spring Buds School here won the gold medal in boys sub junior category. Mehroosh Manzoor Paul, a seventh standard student, won the gold in girls sub junior category. Another girl Aqsa Khan won bronze in the championship.

“I trained hard for more than a month before this championship. And today I have won the gold”, said Fazil.

Fazil remained unbeaten in three bouts defeating his competitors from Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan to win the gold medal in the recently-concluded south asian championship.  

“Fazil was recently promoted to class V. He comes from a humble background of farmers. His father is a lower division employee. But he worked hard and with the result he won the gold medal,” said Shahnawaz Shafi, principal of Spring Buds School.

In fact the players did not allow the turbulence to overshadow their dreams. Players and trainers had chalked out the training programme in such a manner that the turbulence does not affect their schedule.

“Tong-IL-Moo-do  is a mixed martial art form. We have been training during mornings and evenings. We were starting early morning for three hours before retiring for the day. Later in the evenings we were again assembling for hard training”, said Bilal Ahmad, trainer at Spring Buds School.

Mehroosh Manzoor Paul, 12, has joined the league of young players of Kashmir who have struck gold this year. A seventh standard student from Budgam, Mehroosh worked hard to win the gold medal in the tourney.

“I have been learning this martial art for the last two years. For the last one we practised very hard and as a result I won the gold”, she said.

In fact it has been raining gold medals for the Kashmiri kids globally.  Last month Tajamul Islam became youngest Kashmiri girl to strike gold for India in world kickboxing championship in Italy.

A standard II student of Army Goodwill School Bandipora, she was the youngest contestant of the Indian contingent in Italy. Later six year old Hashim Mansoor of Bandipora district won the gold medal in the Asian Karate championship last month.