Indian kudo athlete Sohail Khan has made history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal at the senior level in international kudo events. He claimed a bronze medal in the -250 PI men's category at the prestigious Eurasian Cup 2024, held in Yerevan, Armenia.

Sohail's impressive performance began with successive victories that propelled him into the knockout stages. He secured a submission win against Kazakhstan's Dastan Utimanov in the Round of 16, followed by a decisive 2-0 victory over Georgia's Dvaladze Vasili in the quarterfinals.

The semi-final round turned into a tri-series after an Armenian competitor withdrew due to injury, setting the stage for Sohail to face off against Russia's Ermakov Ilia and Iran's Mohsen Baghi Nasrabadi. In his first match, Sohail faced Ermakov and suffered a 0-2 defeat, putting his gold medal hopes at risk. Ermakov would go on to win gold by defeating Nasrabadi 6-0 in the final match.

With both Sohail and Nasrabadi vying for the silver medal, their match was closely contested, with Nasrabadi edging out Sohail by the narrowest of margins, winning 1-0.

Reflecting on his experience, Sohail expressed immense pride in winning the bronze medal, stating, “Competing at the Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024, one of the most prestigious platforms in the sport, has been an incredible experience. Winning the bronze medal for India is a proud moment, and it motivates me to work even harder. This journey is just the beginning, and I'm determined to push my limits and aim for gold in the future.”

Trained under the guidance of coach Dr. Mohd Aijaz Khan, Sohail Khan’s achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian kudo, bringing home not only his first international kudo medal but also the first for India in this tournament.