Umroi, Jul 21: Fresh from their superlative success at the 10th Cadet, Junior, U-21 and Senior South Asian Karate Championship 2026, gold medallist Daniel Dabiangbha Warjri and bronze medallist Gideon Tympuin were welcomed home by the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association (AMKA), friends and well-wishers at Umroi Airport today.
Daniel was first in the Boys’ Junior Individual Kumite (-68kg) category, while Gideon took bronze in the Men’s U-21 Individual Kata event in Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the 15th to 19th July championship and they are now hungry for further success at next year’s 39th National Games, which Meghalaya is scheduled to host.
The two were felicitated on arrival by senior members of AMKA and warmly embraced by their proud family members. Extra special was the presence of East Shillong MLA and Adviser to the Meghalaya Government, M Ampareen Lyngdoh, and former MDC Fantin Lakadong, who came to the airport to greet the conquering heroes. Serendipitously, Working President of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, John F Kharshiing, was on the same flight back from Kolkata with the pair.
This is the third year in which Meghalayans have won medals at this particular event; in 2025 Kynjailin Lyngdoh Mawnai earned a bronze and in 2019 Wandahunshisha Mawblei won gold.
“This is such a happy day for us,” AMKA General Secretary Ksan Kupar Warjri said. “The success of these two will give further motivation to our other karatekas, who are preparing for the 39th National Games.”
The competition in the South Asian Championship is strong, Warjri added. While India is the top country, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal also win plenty of medals, including at the pan-Asian level.
Meghalaya’s two karatekas were selected on the back of their performances earlier this year. Gideon won a gold medal for Meghalaya at the 5th KIO Senior & U-21 National Karate Championship 2026 in New Delhi in February-March, while Daniel claimed silver in the individual kumite junior -68kg category of the 5th KIO Sub-Junior, Cadet & Junior National Karate Championship 2026, held in Dehradun in June.
Both expressed thankfulness at the warm welcome they received at the airport, especially from Ampareen Lyngdoh and John Kharshiing. “This will motivate us to do even better,” Daniel said. Speaking about his run to the gold medal, he added, “The competition was different from the national level – I had to put in more effort and different techniques. My main aim now is to win gold in Shillong at the National Games and then the World Championship.”
While Daniel’s event was in kumite (sparring), Gideon’s was in individual kata (demonstration) where the karateka is as much competing against himself as against his opponents. “Top karatekas came from other countries and it was challenging. I want to represent India further and bring honour to the country and our state also,” he said.
With their success, AMKA’s reputation for winning not just national but international medals for Meghalaya is growing. The medals from the South Asian Championship add to those earned in years gone by at the South Asian Games by Banshanlang Kharumnuid, Damang Syngkon and Linza Fenny Syiem, who trained under the late great Sensei Stephan Leong.
(All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association photo)