Itanagar, Sep 22 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh has made its presence felt in the world sports map by winning of a bronze medal at the 5th Shito-Ryu Karate-Do World Championship held in Tokyo, by an Arunachalee girl, the first in the country.

The championship organised by World Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation, held from September 16 to 18, where Ms Lokam Yajik from Kurung Kumey district won a bronze medal in the 13-14 years category for kumite.

''This is a proud moment not only for India but for Arunachal Pradesh as Yajik is the first woman to have won a medal in a Shito-Ryu Karate-Do World Championship,'' commented state sports and youth affairs director P R Muzumdar, during a felicitation function organised this morning by Arunachal Karate Association (AKA).

Yajik, who is currently studying in class seven at the Govt.

Secondary School, Ganga, dreams of joining either the Army or Navy some day. She started practicing karate under the guidance of Sensei Langkung Marik, who is the Vice President of AKA and the General Secretary cum Technical Director of Arunachal Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Association (ASKA).

Earlier, Yajik won 6 golds in the State Level Karate-Do Championships and went on to add 3 more gold in the Shito-Ryu Karate-Do National Championship held at Bangalore in May 2006 last.

UNI UPB PL AY BD1654