Srinagar, Aug 12: In his eight years of taekwondo career, not only has he won many medals but he is the first from Jammu and Kashmir to participate in Asian Indoor Games.
Danish Manzoor was among the top 20 athletes across the world in the first-ever International Online European Taekwondo Poomsae Championship 2020.
Not only that he participated in 2nd India Open International Olympic Ranking Taekwondo Championship, and was recommended by J&K Taekwondo Association as a potential athlete to participate in the first ever Olympic level camp under-the world’s number one Olympic level coach Paul Green of Great Britain.
This month he will represent team India in Israel in Open G2 Olympic ranking Taekwondo Championship 2022 .
Danish Manzoor has been phenomenal in his sports journey from the very start and worked hard to make his dreams come true.
“I am training under Master Atul Pangotra and am eying for the 2024 Olympics,” Danish told Rising Kashmir.
Hailing from Gulshan Abad Colony in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the 24-year- youth has brought many laurels to the valley even in the past.
Manzoor will represent team India in Israel Open G2 Olympic ranking Taekwondo Championship 2022 scheduled to be held in Ramla Israel from August 11 to 14.
He will be representing India in the Men’s 58 weight category and is being sponsored by the Help Foundation; a J&K-based NGO, working for the betterment of society.
He left for Israel on August 10 to take part in the International Olympic ranking Taekwondo G2 championship where athletes from around 30 plus countries are taking part.
After learning the art, he participated in many tournaments where he won many medals. This amplified his passion for martial arts and motivated him to learn sophisticated martial art techniques.
“Soon after finding Taekwondo a form of martial art interesting I learned this art spending several hours each day and I participated in several tournaments and bagged many medals,” he says.
He represents Atul International Taekwondo Academy professionally.
So far, in his eight years of taekwondo career, Danish has won many medals in various District, State, and National championships and has represented India also at international arenas in several tournaments.
“I have also qualified among the top 20 athletes across the world in the first-ever International Online European Taekwondo Poomsae Championship 2020,” he says.
Danish also participated in the 2nd India Open International Olympic Ranking Taekwondo Championship held at Hyderabad in 2019.
“I was recommended by J&K Taekwondo Association as a potential athlete to participate in the first ever Olympic level camp which was held under the world’s number one Olympic level coach Paul Green of Great Britain at Khel Gaon, Ranchi,” he says.
Danish claims that he is the first from J&K who participated in the Asian Indoor Games trials which were held at the Sports Authority of India campus in Aurangabad (SAI).
“I turned to Taekwondo professionally when I won a silver medal for J&K in Mahaveer Open National Federation Championship held in Jaipur Rajasthan.
Moreover, he won two times consecutively gold medalist Open Kashmir Championships in 2013, and 2014.
He says he is also four times gold medalist and two times bronze medalist in State Taekwondo Championship in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018.
Danish credits his wins to his coach Master Atul Pangotra, International Coach, family, and Adv Neelofar Masood, Joint Secretary, J&K Taekwondo Association, Dr. Khalid Mehraj Patron Baramulla Taekwondo Association for their utmost support.
“Taekwondo is an Olympic sport, but unfortunately we were lacking the support from the government initially. But now the Sports Council has initiated and arranged an advanced Taekwondo training camp under the guidance of Atul Pangotra,” he says.
Danish says, Kashmir has a great talent in terms of sports but the government needs to properly look at and channel it.
“My message would be only to focus on your goals before it’s too late. Parents should introspect whether the game is valid or not before their wards choose any category of game,” he suggests.
