Sydney — Nepali karate champion Erika Gurung has won a gold medal at the Australian Open Karate Championship. Known as the ‘Himalayan Warrior’, Erika clinched the gold on Saturday by defeating her Australian opponent with a dominant score of 5–0 in the over 68 kg weight category. With this remarkable victory, she has once again brought pride to Nepal on the international stage.
Erika Gurung is the first Nepali athlete to win a silver medal at the 19th Asian Games held in 2023. In the same year, she also won a silver medal at the Asian Karate Championship. A national champion, Erika has continued to set a record of consistent success, winning medals in every national and international competition she has participated in since the Asian Games.
Other Nepali athletes who participated in the Australian Open — Santosh Shrestha, Sabina Shrestha, Pushpka Lama, and Barsha Budhamagar — also delivered outstanding performances, winning bronze medals.
The President of the Tamang Society of Australia, Heupati Gurung, was also present at the competition venue to support and encourage the athletes. He said, “Erika and the Nepali team’s success is a matter of pride for us. It has inspired the entire Nepali community.”
