Sikkim Bodybuilders Bags Prestigious Honours in Body Building Championship

Two female bodybuilders Pandi Targain and Karishma Subba of Sikkim who represented the northeastern state in the recently held 52nd Asian Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2018, clinched remarkable name and fame for their state. The championship was held in Pune, Maharashtra from 2 to 8 October with bodybuilders from all the Asian nations participating in it.

Pandi Targain won two medals in the event of which one is a silver medal in women’s sports physique and the other is a bronze medal in women’s sports physique up to 164 cm. Another contestant from Sikkim, Karishma Subba secured the fifth position in women’s junior model physique.

Of the two Sikkimese sportspersons, Pandi, 35, is a Delhi-based fitness trainer and Karishma, 21, is a fifth-semester student of Burtuk Government College. Karishma also is the current State champion of strength lifting, powerlifting and weightlifting.

Pandi has represented her country in international events before this as well, but for Karishma, this was a debut in the international level competition.

Karishma, after securing a satisfactory position in the recently finished Asian level championship, shared her experience in this way, “It was a proud moment for me to represent my country although I could not win any medal in this tough competition it was a learning experience for me to prepare harder for upcoming competitions.”

The selection of the bodybuilding championship was held on September 1 at Raipur, Chhattisgarh under the participation of a four-member team of BBPLAS.

Both the bodybuilders from Sikkim are congratulated by Body Building & Power Lifting Association of Sikkim [BBPLAS] general secretary, Pema WD Bhutia. Pema mentioned that Pandi has also qualified for the upcoming 10th World Body Building & Physique Sports Championship 2018 which is scheduled to be held at the yearend in Thailand.

Speaking about the debutant Karishma, Pema said, “She has lots of potentials to do better in the national and international competitions in the coming days and she just needs support and encouragement to continue her good form. Our association would always extend support to her and other young athletes to take them to the higher level.”