International students from Penza State University won gold and silver at the International Kobudo Tournament in Tula.

On October 25–26, the Tulitsa Sports Arena hosted the Russian Cup, All-Russian competitions, and regional open tournaments in oriental martial arts, dedicated to the memory of Hero of Russia Aleksandr Panfilov. A special place in the programme was given to the International Kobudo Competition.

More than 1,500 athletes from 30 regions of Russia, as well as representatives from Belarus, India, Cuba, Latvia, Moldova, and Uzbekistan, competed for victory.

Beldar Jaimin and Parmar Mayankbhai (both from India), students of the Faculty of General Medicine and the Institute of International Cooperation, demonstrated their kobudo skills. Under the guidance of coach Aleksei Maseikin, they achieved first and second place on the podium, respectively.

The winners were pleased to receive their awards from the hands of Joseph Linder, Vice President of the Russian Kobujutsu Federation, President of the International Union of Martial Arts, and Honorary Doctor of PSU.

Kobudo is a traditional Okinawan martial art that teaches the use of bladed weapons. The most commonly used weapons are the staff, nunchaku, sickle, tonfa, metal trident, wooden paddle, and cleaver paired with a round shield. The result of training is the development of the skill to use and manipulate a wide variety of objects with great speed.

"We're really happy to be here and hope to perform well, recharge our batteries, and bring home some great memories and experiences!" the students shared their plans on the eve of the tournament. Ultimately, they achieved everything they dreamed of.