Sohail Khan wins historic bronze medal at Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024

Modified Oct 24, 2024 07:51 IST

Sohail Khan won the bronze medal at Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024 (Image: Special Arrangement)

Sohail Khan became the first player from India to win a medal at the senior level in international kudo events. He secured a bronze medal in the -250 men’s category at the Eurasian Cup 2024 held in Yerevan, Armenia.

The 25-year-old received a bye in the first round of the competition. He defeated Kazakhstan’s Dastan Utimanov by submission in the pre-quarterfinals and Georgia’s Dvaladze Vasili 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

The semifinal saw only three players compete as an Armenian athlete was forced to pull out due to an injury. Sohail Khan, Russia's Ermakov Ilia, and Mohsen Baghi Nasrabadi from Iran were the three players in contention for the medals.

Sohail faced a 0-2 loss against Russia’s Ermakov Ilia. The Russian registered a 6-0 victory against Mohsen Baghi Nasrabadi to clinch the gold medal in the -250 men’s category at the Eurasian Cup 2024.

Nineteen-time national champion Sohail lost 0-1 to Mohsen Nasrabadi to settle for the bronze medal, while the Iranian athlete won the silver medal.

After winning the bronze medal for India at the Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024, Sohail was quoted as saying in the press release:

“Competing at the Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024 in Armenia, one of the most prestigious platforms in the sport has been an incredible experience. Winning the bronze medal for India is a proud moment, and it motivates me to work even harder. This journey is just the beginning, and I’m determined to push my limits and aim for gold in the future.”