An eight-year-old Kashmiri girl, Tajamul Islam, created history by winning the gold medal in the under-8 world kickboxing championships on Friday. Islam won the gold after defeating her opponent from the USA in the final in Andria, Italy. Islam, representing India, became the first kickboxer from the war-torn Kashmir valley to complete this feat.
There were 90 countries participating in the tournament. Islam came into prominence on the kickboxing circuit since winning the gold medal in the national sub-junior category in New Delhi in 2015. “In five days, Tajamul Islam won six games,” her coach Fasil Ali Dar was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
Islam is a Class 2 student and a resident of Tarkpora village in Bandipora district, 65 kilometers from Srinagar. Her brother and two sisters also practice kickboxing. Islam also clinched the gold medal in the Jammu & Kashmir Wushu championships in Haridwar earlier in this year.