Judo: India
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Asian Junior Championships
2025: Gold for Himanshi Tokas
Sabi.Hussain, Sep 25, 2025: The Times of India
New Delhi : In 2015, Himanshi Tokas suffered an eye injury while climbing up and down the stairs as part of her training regime for sharpening her judo skills.
She was performing the routine at her home in Delhi’s Munirka village when the accident occurred, leaving her eyes swollen and body bruised. Her mother got worried, fearing that a permanent facial scar could hinder Himanshi’s prospects of marriage.
She strictly advised Himanshi to abandon her dreams of becoming a top judoka. However, the young girl was determined to pursue her ambitions.
She enrolled at a local mixed martial arts academy in her neighbourhood. Had Himanshi heeded her mother’s advice, she would not have gone on to create history.
In one of the oldest Olympic sports played by 50 million across 200 nations, Himanshi, 20, achieved the World No. 1 ranking in the junior women’s 63kg weight category. The 20-year-old became the first Indian judoka to reach this position. Additionally, Himanshi secured the No. 1 judoka spot in Asia after her gold medal triumph at the Asian Junior Championships last week in Indonesia.
“After my injury, my mother instructed me to focus on my studies. But my grandmother and maternal grandmother steadfastly supported me and told me to continue with judo. In fact, my grandmother chased me with abroom in her hand, warning me not to leave the sport. She was very clear, I was not going to leave judo. It was her support and encouraging words that kept me going. Today, when I look back, I really feel happy about making the right decision,” Himanshi said.
