Rajkot: Cricket, Kho Kho, Kabaddi and Judo; Like other children, Manaha Wala plays all these sports when growing up.
While graduating from Ms.
Baroda University, he also participated in the university cricket.
It was far later he found a true call – kickboxing.
Since then a 28-year-old child from the city of Kodinar in the Gir Somnath district has not looked back.
Wala is now preparing an Irish person open – the official World Cup World Association of Kickboxing Organization (Wako).
Wala will participate in the 60kg weight category of events scheduled to be held in Dublin, Ireland, starting March 5-7.
Talk to Toi Wala, thank his family to support him.
“My father likes sports and he always pushes me to pursue my dream.
My parents don’t distinguish between boys and girls.
Because of my parents’ support that I have reached this level,” Wala said.
His father Jagdish Wala was a laboratory technician in a cement company and his mother Prachi was a housewife.
With relatively unknown sports kickboxing in Saurashtra, Wala faced some difficulties during the early days.
“Finding a good coach in Saurashtra is not easy, so I shift my base to Vadodara,” Wala said.
In Vadodara he found the right coach in Siddharth Bhalalar.
His appearance at the Senior National Kickboxing Championship in Goa last August helped him make pieces for the World Cup.
Apart from superior in sports Wala did it well in the academic field.
He made graduation in industrial psychology from MS University.
Then, he completed his master in mental health from Mumbai’s Tata Institute Mumbai.
“The younger generation is now more open to various different disciplines.
The success stories of players from Gujarat inspire them,” added Wala.
In the past the Gir Somnath district had produced many well-known athletes such as Judokas Ankita Naghera, Alpa Wader, Archna Naghera and Rohit Majgul.
Kinjal Wala, Chetna Wala made a name in the field of field volleyball while Ruchit Mori, Muskan Chotiyar and Dhruvi Parmar then won a medal in a national athletic event.