Two girls hailing from humble backgrounds in Buxar have been selected for the 27th Senior National Wushu Championship to be held in Shillong from October 8 to 15. Wushu or Chinese Kung Fu, is a hard and complete martial art.

While Sonali (18) from Bhadwar village will be playing for the second time in any national competition, for Nidhi (19), a resident of Mahdah village, this will be the fifth time that she will participate in any national level competition. Earlier she won silver and bronze medals in national competitions.

Sonali’s father works as a security guard while Nidhi’s father is a farmer.

“Both the girls had initial training in karate under government’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It was when I noted both girls’ skill and later got them enrolled into my Wushu classes when the three months’ karate training was over under the government-sponsored team. Both of them are doing well. Even though Sonali earlier participated in the National School Games, she could not make a mark in the national. This time I have high expectations from her as she gave a brilliant performance in the state level competition in Muzaffarpur, clinching gold. We are also expecting a lot from Nidhi. After initial training from me, she is undergoing training in the Bhopal academy run by the Sports Authority of India,” said coach Mukesh Kumar, who is accompanying them to the national event.

Sonali Kumari Telegraph picture

Sonali said it was not easy for her to take part in the national and that her father had to take a loan to bear the travel and accommodation expenses for the national competition.

“The state government doesn’t bear travel or accommodation expenses of the sportspersons. Only when the players win medals, they are felicitated back home with state honours in the Rajkiya Khel Samman Samaroh, which is held on August 29 every year,” said Sonali.

Nidhi said her father got help from the village mukhiya for arranging travel and accommodation expenses. “Sometimes it becomes really humiliating for us as we have to drop our plans of participating in national level competitions due to monetary issues,” she said.

Mukesh said the Wushu players in Buxar district didn’t even get a proper place to train to hone their skills.

“We have been given a very little space in the indoor stadium in Buxar for training but often that space is

also taken from us because of various other activities. How can players prosper in their game in such conditions? Players hardly get any support from the state government,” he said.