Kohima: The Nagaland Taekwondo Association made a commendable mark at the 40th Senior National Taekwondo Championship, held from October 18 to 20, 2024, in Pondicherry.
An 18-member team, including eight boys, seven girls, and three officials, represented Nagaland in the prestigious competition. The team was led by T. Alem Aier as the Senior Team Coach, Santsuthung Ngullie as Team Coach, and Keneingulie as Team Manager.
A notable highlight was Malika Baruah, who secured a bronze medal in the girls’ under 53 kg category. She demonstrated exceptional skill, defeating competitors from West Bengal, the Taekwondo Federation of India (TFI), and Madhya Pradesh before being narrowly edged out in the semifinals by an athlete from Chandigarh.
This championship also served as a qualification event for the National Games, set to be held in Uttarakhand in January 2025. Both Malika Boruah (under 53 kg) and Dipika Hazarika (under 46 kg) qualified for the National Games. The duo, who are Assam Rifles Cadres posted at the Assam Rifles Training Centre and School (ARTC&S) in Sukhovi, expressed pride in their achievement.
The Nagaland Taekwondo team extended their gratitude to the Nagaland Taekwondo Association (NTA) for organizing a month-long coaching camp under a Korean coach, which played a crucial role in their preparation. They also acknowledged the support of Pele Khezhie, President of NTA, Kethosituo Sekhose, NCS, Director of Youth Resources and Sports Nagaland, Visabiu Peseyie, State Taekwondo Coach, and the Commanding Officer of Assam Rifles, Sukhovi.
The athletes’ success at the national championship underscores the growing talent in Nagaland’s taekwondo scene and sets a positive tone for their upcoming participation in the National Games 2025.