A young girl from Kashmir has won gold at the 19th Sub-Junior Wushu Championship which concluded in Haryana on Sunday.
Sadia Tariq, 14, who always aspired to be a Martial Artist, started her Career in Martial Arts when she was in First Standard.
Sadia said after she participated in the first Taekwondo competition and won Bronze Medal, she won lot of praises and appreciation from her coaches.
“My father especially supported me throughout since the start of Martial Arts. In the same year I went to New Delhi to participate in 3rd open India Taekwondo championship and also won Bronze medal there,” she said.
Sadia said her father has been her first mentor who encouraged her to participate in the sport, “Without his support I would not have been able to carry on with the sport,” she said.
In the year 2017, trails were being held at Indoor Stadium for 10th Open National Taekwondo Championship, “My father said to me to go for the trails. Although the competition was tough, which made me hesitant, it was my father who pushed me,” she said.
"Alongside my father I went to Indoor Stadium and I got selected for the even which eventually after participating in the championship, I won Silver Medal", she said.
Talking about her Martial Art Career Sadia said it was the time to go higher, “I participated in Sub Juniors National Taekwondo Championship held in Pune Maharashtra and there I won my First Gold Medal, which I surely owe to my father."
Tariq Lone, Sadia’s father, is a renowned Kashmir-based journalist, who has nurtured many aspirants in the media industry.
"I have been always supportive of my daughters and they are my strength. Rather than pushing with the practice of today's era's of conventional love of giving costly phones, cars and bikes to children, I always supported and encouraged my daughters to go for sports. I believe a sportsperson or athlete will never harm themselves and will always focus on their fitness."
"Their participation in the sports was inspiration for me to join the daily routine fitness and I am proud of my daughters and they are my strength", he said.
Sehar Tariq, his second daughter and a science student, does not aspire to become a doctor or engineer. She is rather getting inspiration from the younger sister Sehar too joined the Martial Arts and aspiring to set her career as professional Martial Artist.
Sehar has many Gold Medals after competing in many National Level and State Level Championships.
“Covid-19 Pandemic was a halt on our routine practice, and for an athlete it is very difficult to be without the routine manual of practice.”
“It was our coaches and trainers who encouraged us to continue the practice. After the due consultation with our father, we rejoined the practice in Stadium after the Sports Ministry announced the Covid-19 SoPs and Guidelines,” she said.
There is lot of talent among girls as far as the Martial Arts is concerned and girls have dreams to become professionals In particular sports, “But all it needs the parental support, most of the talented girls drop out just because they don't get enough support from the family,” they said.
"Our dream is to represent the country and more importantly we want to see ourself participating in the Olympics and make our country and our father proud", they said.