Pandi Targain and Karishma Subba from Sikkim
Pandi Targain and Karishma Subba from Sikkim Photo: Northeast Now

Two Sikkimese women athletes have qualified to represent the country in the upcoming 52nd Asian Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2018. It will be held from 2-8 October at Pune, Maharashtra.

Pandi Targain and Karishma Subba from Sikkim have been able to reserve their berth in the national team for the championship. Interestingly, Pandi Targain has also been qualified to represent the country in the upcoming 10th World Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2018 to be held at the end of this year in Thailand.

The selection trial for the Team India for upcoming 52nd Asian & 10th World Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2018 was held on September 1 at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. A four-member team, two men and two women, of Body Building & Power Lifting Association of Sikkim (BBPLAS) has participated in the selection trial, in which two women have been successful in secure berth for Team India.

This is for the first time Sikkimese women athletes are in the Team India to represent the country in the prestigious Asian championship.

35-years-old Pandi is a certified fitness trainer based in Delhi, while 21-years-old Karishma is a fifth semester student of Burtuk Government College and is the current State champion of strength lifting, power lifting and weight lifting.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Karishma expressed her happiness and satisfaction on being selected in team India to represent the country. She expressed her confidence to do better in the upcoming Asian championship to win laurels for the country and Sikkim. “This achievement has motivated me to work harder to be able to participate on the Olympia platform in the future,” she expressed.

Karishma also thanked international strength lifter, Pema Dorjee Bhutia, who initially trained and motivated her in the physique sports. She demonstrated for the first time on Mr Sikkim 2018 platform earlier this year.

Pandi is presently taking training at Delhi, while Karishma has also started her training at Titan Gym, Gangtok under BBPLAS coach, Hishey Namgyal Bhutia.  BBPLAS coach stated that both were the pick form and have full potential to win international medals for the country.

Likewise, BBPLAS general secretary, Pema WD Bhutia stated that the association would provide all necessary training, diet and support to both athletes to ensure the best performances in the upcoming Asian championship.

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