DIMAPUR, NOV 12 (NPN): In a significant achievement for Nagaland sports, three Pencak Silat athletes from the state have qualified to represent India at the 21st World Senior Pencak Silat Championship 2026, scheduled to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from December 5 to 12, 2026.
The athletes, Kitenlo K. Thono, Liike Kibami and Avikali V. Sheqi, will compete for Team India in the prestigious global martial arts event at the Martial Arts Palace Indoor Stadium, Olympic City Complex. The championship is being hosted by the Uzbekistan Pencak Silat Federation in collaboration with the International Pencak Silat Federation.
The three Nagaland fighters will compete in the Tanding (sparring) category in their respective weight divisions. Kitenlo K. Thono will contest in the Men’s Under-95 kg category, while Liike Kibami and Avikali V. Sheqi will compete in the Women’s Under-55 kg and Women’s Under-70 kg categories respectively.
The athletes head into the world championship backed by impressive performances at the continental level. Kitenlo K. Thono is a silver medallist from the 9th Asian Senior Pencak Silat Championship held in Vietnam in 2025, while Avikali V. Sheqi secured a bronze medal at the 10th Asian Senior Pencak Silat Championship in Vietnam in 2026. Alongside Liike Kibami, the trio is expected to strengthen India’s challenge on the international stage.
On Wednesday, the athletes and officials of the Nagaland Pencak Silat Association (NPSA) called on Abu Metha, advisor to the chief minister of Nagaland and secretary general of the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA), at the Games Village in Chümoukedima during the ongoing Nagaland State and Para Games 2026.
Congratulating the athletes on their selection to the Indian national squad, Abu Metha encouraged them to compete with determination and bring honour to both Nagaland and the country. He also extended his best wishes and assured them of his continued support ahead of the championship.
Speaking on behalf of the association, NPSA president Khevishe Sema and other members expressed gratitude to chief minister and NOA president Dr. Neiphiu Rio and NOA secretary general Abu Metha for including Pencak Silat in the Nagaland Olympic Games 2024, North East Games 2024 and the Nagaland State and Para Games 2026. They credited the leadership’s commitment to grassroots sports development for creating greater opportunities for athletes in the state.
The association also acknowledged the support of advisor and MLA of the Department of Youth Resources and Sports, S. Keoshu Yimkhiung and Director of the Department of Youth Resources and Sports, Government of Nagaland, Kethosituo Sekhose, for their continued encouragement and assistance in promoting Pencak Silat and supporting athletes from the state.
