Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, May 4: Mangaluru’s rising athletic star Nihal Kamal has earned a prestigious nomination to represent India at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025, which kicked off on Sunday, May 4, in Bihar and will continue till May 15. Regarded as the country’s second-largest multi-sport event after the National Games, KIYG provides a national platform for top young talent across disciplines.
The 2025 edition of the games was inaugurated at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and a host of union and state ministers during a grand opening ceremony on Sunday.
Nihal Kamal has been selected by the National Sports Federation, New Delhi, as one of the top 16 athletes from across India to compete in the 100m athletics event. His selection underscores his remarkable consistency, commitment, and outstanding potential. For the Indian community in Kuwait, where he currently resides, this is a moment of immense pride.
A permanent resident of Fernhill in Mangaluru, Nihal is currently studying at Delhi Public School, Kuwait. In the recently held 27th CBSE Kuwait Cluster Athletics Meet, he shattered a 21-year-old record in the 100m U17 Boys category, setting new benchmarks in both the 100m and 200m events.
He clinched gold medals in both, while also anchoring his school team to gold in the 4x100m relay and bronze in the 4x400m relay. For a third consecutive year, Nihal was named Individual Champion, cementing his position as one of the region’s most dominant young athletes.
Outside of school competitions, Nihal has made his mark in events organised by the Kuwait Athletics Federation, representing Al Sahel Club. His achievements include two golds and a bronze in the 100m, silver in the 300m, and bronze in the 4x100m relay at the Kuwait Youth Championship. He also bagged gold in the U19 4x100m relay at the Kuwait Federation Cup and a silver in the 200m at the 2025 Youth Championship.
Nihal is a registered athlete with both the Athletics Federation of India and the Kuwait Athletics Federation. Earlier this year, he finished 4th in the U18 National Athletics Championship held in Patna, and had previously secured 5th place in the CBSE National U17 100m (2024) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
As he prepares to take the national stage at the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, Nihal Kamal brings with him not just records and medals, but also the admiration and hopes of a sports-loving community spanning Mangaluru and Kuwait.