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KOHIMA — The Nagaland Strongman and Fitness Association (NSFA) on Wednesday felicitated Zhopao Movi and Kevidi Linyu who won gold medals at the recently concluded North East Strongmen Championship 2023.
The programme was held at Hotel Crescent International in Kohima in the presence of NSFA members.
The North East Strongmen Championship 2023 was organised by RAW group in association with Assam Strongman and Amateur Sports Association under the Indian Strongman Sports Federation at Sonaram Field, Guwahati on Dec. 10.
At the event, Zhopao Movi was awarded the 'Overall Champion' and a gold medal in the 80kg category while Kevidi Linyu won gold medal in the 110+ kg category.
Lauding the duo for bringing accolades to the state, president of NSFA Keduovilie Zumu said the association was formed in 2016 and prior to that the north-eastern states and Nagaland were unaware of strongman games.
With the formation of the NSFA, strongmen from the state have now earned seven medals and four national medals.
Kevidi Linyu highlighted the events that he participated in along with ten other athletes, attributing his victory to God, the NFSA and all those who supported him throughout the championship. The hardest part of the preparation, he said, was the diet which he had to maintain for almost three months.
The overall champion, Zhopao Movi also shared his experience, crediting God for his achievement and acknowledging the NFSA.
He said that the recent championship was different from the competitions held in the state as the latter was more ‘traditional’ and the former was held with proper equipment.
It was informed that the duo will now vie for the International Strongman Championship, the schedule for which will be notified later.
In response to an inquiry, Zumu explained that the realm of strongman competitions lacks a singular governing body. It encompasses diverse categories, including classic strongman, focused solely on strength, world strongman, combining entertainment with strength, etc. As it is not recognised as an Olympic sport, there is no formal governing body, and coaching structures at the state level are also limited. Athletes typically receive guidance from experienced senior athletes who have previously participated in such competitions, he said.
The NSFA was stated to have collaborated with the department of tourism for the past five years and only in the last year did it tie up with the department of youth resources and sports. They are optimistic that the latter department will prioritise the sport and actively promote its growth.