Meghalaya secured second place in the women’s category at the KIO North East Zone Karate Championship 2026, winning 80 medals as the two-day tournament concluded in Shillong.
The hosts collected 17 gold, 17 silver and 46 bronze medals to finish behind Assam, who topped the women’s standings with 31 gold, 32 silver and 47 bronze medals.
Meghalaya also delivered a strong performance in the men’s and boys’ category, finishing third with 14 gold, 14 silver and 42 bronze medals. Assam dominated the division with 37 gold, 38 silver and 61 bronze medals, while Arunachal Pradesh secured second place with 20 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze medals.
Meghalaya Double Last Year’s Medal Tally
With a combined haul of 150 medals across the categories, Meghalaya more than doubled its tally of 62 medals from the previous edition held in Itanagar. The improvement reflected the efforts of the state’s karatekas, coaches and families in preparing for the regional competition.
Athletes from seven northeastern states — Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura — participated in the championship. Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh emerged as the leading medal-winning teams.
Over 900 Participants Take Part
The championship was organised by the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association (AMKA), with support from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, under the aegis of the Karate India Organisation (KIO).
More than 900 karatekas and officials participated in the two-day event, which was hosted at the NEHU Convocation Hall in Shillong.
Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Alertson Nongbri and North Eastern Council Economic Adviser Sherry Lalthangzo visited the venue on Saturday and commended the organisation of the championship.
Nongbri also said he would advocate for karate’s inclusion in the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya is scheduled to host next year.
Winners to Advance to Inter-Zonal Championship
The medal winners at the zonal championship will qualify for the KIO Inter-Zonal Karate Championship 2026, scheduled to take place in New Delhi later this year.
Ahead of the competition, a referee and coaches seminar and examination organised by KIO was held on Thursday, with 21 participants from Meghalaya. The programme was conducted by Premjit Sen, chairman of the KIO Referee Commission.
The championship provided a platform for northeastern karatekas to showcase their skills while offering Meghalaya athletes an opportunity to build on their recent progress ahead of upcoming national-level competitions.