Syed Mohammad Azim became the first Kashmiri athlete to qualify for the senior Wushu team to represent J&K in the upcoming 36th national games 2022 scheduled to be held in Gujarat from September 27 to October 10, 2022.
19-year-old Azim would compete in the 60 kg weight category (senior) wushu championship (National Games of India).
A total of 37 teams including 7000 athletes from 28 states and eight Union Territories are expected to be participating in the mega national event.
Hailing from Watrina village in north Kashmir’s district Bandipora, Azim is currently pursuing a bachelor in arts degree from HKM Government Degree College Bandipora. He is also a three times state gold medalist, which he bagged in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively.
“I am training hard for the upcoming national games (wushu) under the coaching of Faisal Ali in Ali sports Academy
“I started playing Wushu when I was 13, since then I have played several district and state level competitions,” he says.
He says that Coach Faisal Ali, (Padma Shree awardee) was his inspiration who introduced and trained him in wushu art besides kickboxing and other martial arts.
“I am being trained in Ali sports Academy, where I spend nearly five hours every day,” he says, and added, “I am aiming for gold in national games,” he says, and added, “I am confident that I will bag a medal for J&K and make my people proud.”
He expressed gratitude to the Wushu Association of J&K for providing him with a platform to showcase his talent.
Padma Shree awardee and Azim’s coach Faisal Ali said Azim was selected on the basis of his past performance in senior national games.
“He was selected in J&K senior Wushu in the 60 kg weight category in the national games 2021. And became the first from Kashmir to play national games in Senior Wushu,” he said.
He added that Azim is a very talented athlete, and has the potential to play Asian games.
