A tribal student Nitya Majhi from Kandhamal district (Odisha) was selected for the Commonwealth Pre Cadet Indian Judo Team under 46Kg category, scheduled to be held at Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
Majhi, a 10th standard student, is the first player from his state to get selected in the Judo team. He stated that he will try to get the medal for the country.
"I am very happy that I got selected in the Commonwealth Pre Cadet Indian Judo team. I will try to get a medal for the country. I am the first one to be selected in the competition from Odisha. Before coming to Bhubaneshwar, I did not know anything about Judo," Majhi told ANI.
"My father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife," he added.
Kandan Murmu who has been teaching Majhi Judo for the past six years said that since there are two more months before the games it will be utilized to train more for the Commonwealth.
"We have two months time and he needs a bit more practice to participate in the event. Majhi is a tribal child and has great sports abilities, Murmu said.
"In the recent trial held at Delhi organised by Judo Federation of India, he got selected in the under 46 Kg category for the Commonwealth Pre Cadet games 2019," he added.
Earlier, Majhi has played four state competition in which he bagged a gold, silver and bronze each. At one state competition, he could not win a medal.
In the Commonwealth Pre Cadet selection last year, Majhi came at the third place.
The Commonwealth Pre Cadet Championship will be held at Birmingham, United Kingdom from September 25 to 29 this year.
