Srinagar: Young girls in Kashmir Valley are not only turning towards non-traditional sports, but are also making Kashmir and the country proud by excelling in the sports. Afreen Hyder, a 21-year-old taekwondo player, is one such athlete, who has taken the sports scene in the Valley by storm. Afreen has so far won many medals and awards for her outstanding performance at state, national and international competitions and she is the first female athlete from Jammu and Kashmir to win the official medal of Junior Taekwondo at the international level. Hailing from Srinagar, Afreen has been playing taekwondo since she was seven-year-old.
In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, Afreen said she initially took up the sport as a hobby, which subsequently turned into a profession. Taekwondo is not only a passion for her now, but she is also looking for a future in the sport and aspiring to represent the country in the Olympics. After graduating from Delhi University, she is continuing her rigorous practice under the supervision of her coach.
Afreen regularly participates in the G2 level competitions where only top-level athletes participate. She recently took part in three such events in Tehran. Afreen was also appointed as the coach for Kashmir province, but resigned due to personal reasons. She competes in the under 62 kg category and is ranked number one in the country and globally at 85 in her category. Afreen's mother Shiraz Malik says that Aafreen is making her dreams come true and she is proud of her daughter. "I also had a passion for sports, but my family didn't support it. That's why I fully supported my daughter since the beginning as she is crazy about the sport," Shiraz said.
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