Pulwama: A visually challenged climber from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district has won laurels by making it to semi finals in first ever Indian Mountaineering Foundation national sport climbing championship which was held in Jammu.
Mohammad Ashraf Sofi, 26, son of Manzoor Ahmad Sofi, a resident of Trich village of Pulwama who made it to semi-finals in two day climbing championship won hearts.
“Around 80 participants from six different states took part in the event of wall climbing. There were 40 participants in Ashraf’s category and he finished at 10th which is commendable,” his coach, Syed Abdul Mohsin Andrabi, a trained mountaineer, said, adding though he failed to qualify for finals but his maiden performance with little practice must be appreciated.
The two days sports event was organized by the Mountaineering Association of J&K at Sprawling Buds School and was thrown open on 27 March
“Ashraf was initially hesitant to participate in the championship
because he had never taken part in such a championship before,” Andrabi said.
According to Andrabi, Ahraf was hesitant but ‘he practiced for two days at Jammu before the start of the event’.
Though, Ashraf couldn’t disqualify for finals but his good performance with little training, and no exposure won applause from many at the event.
“Every villager is feeling very proud for him, we hope that he will be trained properly so that he can perform better in future,” Jahangir Ahmad, a resident of Trich.
