Shillong, Oct 25: Meghalaya put up a sterling performance to take second place in the female events at the KIO North East Zone Karate Championship 2026, which concluded here on Saturday.
The hosts won 17 gold, 17 silver and 46 bronze medals (80 in total) in the female category, placing them second behind champions Assam (31G, 32S, 47B).
The Meghalaya men and boys did admirably well to finish third in their division, with 14 gold, 14 silver and 42 bronze (70 in total), behind champions Assam (37G, 38S, 61B) and second-placed Arunachal Pradesh (20G, 15S, 17B).
It was these three states who were in the running for the majority of medals and there was a great competitive spirit among the hundreds of karatekas from the seven participating states (the others being Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) across the two days of action.
Meghalaya put up a fantastic show, with 150 medals in total, which is more than double the 62 they won at the championship last year in Itanagar. It was a fine testament to the hard work put in by the karatekas, their coaches and families.
The state also did well in terms of hosting the event, which was a herculean feat as more than 900-plus karatekas and officials were involved in the championship that was organised by the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association (AMKA) with the support of Meghalaya’s Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs under the aegis of the Karate India Organisation (KIO).
Among the dignitaries to visit the NEHU Convocation Hall venue on Saturday were Director of Sports & Youth Affairs Alertson Nongbri and Sherry Lalthangzo, Economic Adviser to the North Eastern Council. Both praised the excellent organisation of the tournament, with Nongbri adding that he will advocate for the inclusion of karate in the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya will host next year.
Winners from this event will qualify for the KIO Inter-Zonal Karate Championship 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi later this year.
Apart from the kata and kumite action, a KIO Referee and Coaches Seminar and Examination was held on Thursday. Meghalaya had 21 participants in this programme, which was conducted by Premjit Sen, Chairman of the KIO’s Referee Commission.
(All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association photo of Assam women’s champions)
