Key Points

Sohail won his first fight by knockout against Biri Tasso of Arunachal Pradesh. In the final, he defeated Rajasthan’s Abhimanyu Godara through a submission. With these strong results, he earned his place in the Indian squad for the championship, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan from November 1 to 4.

Speaking after his qualification, Sohail said, “It feels amazing to be selected to represent India again. Every fight is a chance to prove how hard I’ve worked. I’m grateful to my coaches, family, and supporters. My full focus is now on preparing for the Asian Championship and winning a medal for the country.”

Sohail has trained under the guidance of his coach Dr Mohammad Aijaz Khan, who has played a key role in shaping his journey from his early days. Meanwhile, the trials were conducted under the leadership of Hanshi Mehul Vora, founder of Kudo India and a key figure in developing the sport across the country.

Sohail’s selection comes just weeks after he created history at the Kudo World Cup 2025 in Burgas, Bulgaria. He became the first Indian male athlete to reach the senior final in the tournament’s history and returned with a silver medal. He defeated top competitors from Bulgaria and Lithuania before narrowly losing to France’s Quentin Miramont in a high-intensity final that went into a third round.

A native of Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sohail is known across India as the ‘Golden Boy of Madhya Pradesh’. He has won 22 consecutive national gold medals, a rare record in Indian Kudo. He is also a Junior World Champion (2017) and a four-time gold medallist at the Akshay Kumar International Kudo Tournament.

With the Asian Championship around the corner, he is once again ready to represent India with pride and aim for the top spot on the podium in Tokyo.

- IANS