How a suspension in class V fueled Sohail Khan to a historic silver medal at Kudo World Cup

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Sohail Khan made history in Bulgaria as he became the first Indian to reach the final of the Kudo World Cup, securing the silver medal, but his decade-long journey began in the most interesting way possible.

Hailing from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sohail described himself as a notorious kid in school, which ultimately led to his being suspended in the fifth class. Upon his return from suspension, he was determined to change his image in front of those around him.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Sohail revealed his journey, why he chose Kudo as a discipline, and more.

"I was suspended from school in the fifth grade. I was a notorious student, never studied, and hardly played any sports. I used to notice that students who used to be good at sports were recognized in the assemblies. I saw it as an opportunity to change my image to a good boy. The school head coach, Dr. Mohammad Aijaz Khan, who is also my personal coach, suggested that I should start Karate, which is where my Martial Arts journey started before settling on Kudo," Sohail told IANS.

After getting a walkover against Pakistan's Abdulla, as the athlete missed his weight mark, Sohail defeated hometown favourite Rusev Radoslav 1-0 in the quarterfinals. He breezed past Lithuania's Andzej Voinius to register a dominant 4-0 victory.

In the gold medal bout, Sohail could not get over the final hurdle against France's Quentin Miramont but pushed him to the limits, forcing the referee to extend the bout to a rare third round for the first time in the World Cup.

"It's a great feeling for me and the people around me. Winning a medal for India, and that too for the first time, it's a great honour," Sohail reflected on his achievement.

The 25-year-old spoke highly of his coach, describing him as a 'father figure' and humbly admitted that he does not know where he would be today if it had not been for the tutelage of Dr. Mohammad Aijaz Khan.

"He is like a father figure to me. I used to hate him in school because he was the only teacher who used to scold me, hit me, while other teachers did not even talk to me. Over time, I realised those who scold you are the ones who actually care about you. If there is anyone I listen to anyone after my father, it is him. If I were not under his guidance, my life would have been in a different direction," he added.

The Kudo International Federation India (KIFI) was granted provisional recognition by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) as a National Sports Federation on March 6, 2019.

In a country where combat sports like Karate, Boxing, and other disciplines prevail, Sohail was not too interested in a discipline that focused on only one art form, but rather wanted to use his arsenal in hopes of winning a bout, which ultimately led to his lifelong association with the sport.

"I am from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Before going into Kudo, I was into Karate and other combat sports, but Kudo appealed to me because when I was learning Karate, I was only using kicks, when I was boxing, I was only learning how to punch. Kudo is a combination of all combat forms," he said.

With a silver medal in the Kudo World Cup and a bronze medal at the 2024 Eurasian Cup now in his bag, Sohail has already shifted his focus to a busy 2025 that awaits him, including the vital 2025 Kudo Asia Cup, scheduled to be played in Tokyo.

"The Asian Cup trials begin in Gujarat next month. First, we need to qualify for that. I am aiming for a top-of-the-podium finish there. We have the district and state tournaments, followed by the official nationals and Akshay Kumar International Tournament, which is the icing on the cake in terms of experience before the Asian Cup in Tokyo," he concluded.

--IANS

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