Thulusdhoo [Maldives], August 23 : Kishore Kumar, the teenage Indian surfing sensation who boasts multiple national championships, has made waves in international waters by becoming the first-ever Indian to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Surfing Championships 2024.
Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Kishore is competing in the U-18 Boys category at the championship being held in Thulusdhoo, Maldives. With eight Indians competing across four categories in the event, which serves as a qualifier for the Asian Games 2026, Kishore Kumar remains the sole Indian surfer keeping the country's hopes alive.
In Heat 3 of the quarterfinals, Kishore Kumar captivated the judges with his manoeuvres, achieving the highest score of 11.50 among his heat's quarterfinalists. John Chan from Chinese Taipei came in second, while local surfer Sayyid Salahudheen finished third with scores of 8.76 and 7.90, respectively. Kumar has demonstrated consistent excellence, having secured first place with scores of 12.86 in Round 1, 14.33 in Round 3, and 11.50 in the quarterfinals. Notably, his Round 3 score remains the highest ever recorded by an Indian surfer in this competition.
Yesterday, Harish Muthu and Kishore Kumar advanced to the quarterfinals of the Asian Surfing Championship 2024 in the Men's Open and U-18 categories, respectively. However, Harish narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals after a tough competition.
Speaking on his achievement, Kishore Kumar said, "I'm thrilled beyond words to have secured a berth in the semi-finals of the Asian Surfing Championship. It's been tough competing against Asia's best surfers, but I remained confident and focused. I gave it my all, and I'm happy to have made my country proud and brought some joy. My next goal is to qualify for the finals and win a medal for India".
Speaking about Kishore's performance on Friday, Samai Reboul, Head Coach, Indian Team, said, "We are absolutely delighted with Kishore's performance today and are eagerly awaiting to see him make history tomorrow. Kishore's talent, dedication, and hard work are evident in every competition he enters. I have every confidence that he will bring us great joy and pride tomorrow".
All eyes will be on Kishore tomorrow as he strives to maintain his exceptional performance in the semi-final, which is scheduled for the same day.
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