Kishore Kumar Makes Historic Semifinal Entry in Asian Surfing Championships

Tamil Nadu’s Kishore Kumar has become the first Indian to reach the semifinals of the Asian Surfing Championships in the U-18 category. Surpassing his competitors in the quarterfinals, he aims to qualify for the finals and win a medal for India. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday.

Tamil Nadu's Kishore Kumar made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian to reach the semifinals of the Asian Surfing Championships in the U-18 category.

Out of eight Indian competitors, Kishore stands as the sole challenger in this qualifying event for the 2026 Asian Games. Achieving the highest score of 11.50 in Heat 3 of the quarterfinals, he outperformed John Chan of Chinese Taipei and local surfer Sayyid Salahuddin, who scored 8.76 and 7.90, respectively. Kishore has shown consistency throughout the rounds, scoring 12.86 and 14.33 in Rounds 1 and 3 before securing 11.50 in the quarterfinals.

His Round 3 score is the highest ever recorded by an Indian surfer in this competition. Reflecting on his achievement, Kishore said, ''It's been tough competing against Asia's best surfers, but I remained confident and focused. My next goal is to qualify for the finals and win a medal for India.'' Team head coach Samai Reboul lauded Kishore's talent, dedication, and hard work, emphasizing his potential to make India proud. The semifinals will take place on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies.)