Madrid [Spain], May 11 (ANI): Nirav Koli made India proud by becoming the first Indian to achieve the CMS (Candidate Master Of Sport) Rank at the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation (IMKF) World Championship part 1, held in Spain from May 2 to 4.

The championship was a major international event, with almost 150+ athletes from 22 countries taking part, as per a press release from IMKF.

Nirav represented India in two events

-Jerk (40 kg for 10 minutes) - Nirav lifted a 40 kg kettlebell nonstop for 10 minutes, completing 142 reps and earning the Silver Medal by finishing in 2nd place in the Body Weight Category of 75-85kg

-Double Pentathlon - Nirav gave an excellent performance and achieved CMS Rank.

With his outstanding performance in the 40 kg Jerk event, Nirav also created history by becoming the first Indian to be awarded the CMS rank, a major international recognition in the world of kettlebell sport.

Winning the title of CMS in kettlebell sport has been a dream come true for Nirav Koli. This big achievement would not have been possible without the Training of his coach, Arnav Sarkar.

After the event, Nirav along with the team were hosted by the Indian Ambassador in Spain, His Excellency, Dinesh K Patnaik on May 5, at the Embassy of India In Spain.

Nirav is a personal trainer and group instructor in Mumbai. He plans to grow the sport in the coming years and prepare for athletes for India from Mumbai to compete internationally.

His motive is to build greater awareness among people about health and fitness and teach them how to use the versatile kettlebell for maximizing results. He believes that kettlebells can be used by people irrespective of their age, but must be learnt under a good coach.

The IKMF is headed by its President Stephane Dauvergne. In India IKMF is represented by Arnav Sarkar.

Kettlebell Sport originated in Russia and is now practiced around the world. It involves lifting a kettlebell of different weight for a set period of time. The winner is decided by bodyweight category and number of repetitions performed by the athlete. (ANI)