Sports
Young Nepali kickboxer, Abiral Ghimire, has reached the semi-finals of the 'K1 World Grand Prix 2022' kick boxing competition being held in Japan.
Ghimire will face Thai boxer Jomthong Chuwatna for a place in the final in the 70 kg super welterweight category.
The semi-final will be held at the Arena Center in Yokohama, Japan, on September 11.
Also known as the 'Himalayan Leopard', the 22-year-old will reach the final for the title of 'K1 World GP Champion' if he wins the bout on coming Sunday.
"My goal is to win the title and wave the flag of Nepal," Ghimire said.
He has been achieving success since his early age, with 14 wins in 17 international kickboxing competitions so far. He has won 13 matches by knock out.
In K1 Professional Kick Boxing, he has four matches including two by knock out. Ghimire has been training under his father, Dev Ghimire, who was also a professional kick boxer.
He is the first South Asian player to play K1 tournament in 2004.
A resident of Gurjudhara in Chandragiri Municipality-12, Kathmandu, Ghimire has been living with his father in Nagoya, Japan for the past five years.
Apart from his father, Dev, two Thai trainers are currently training him for eight hours a day.
He is currently playing from Shimura Dojo in Nagoya, Japan. --RSS