120+ Athletes Participate in Mega Dance Sport Event at Talkatora Stadium
New Delhi, May 14 (KNB): The first-ever WFADS Asian Championship Cup 2026 was successfully held in India at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, marking a major milestone in the promotion of Acrobatic Rock & Roll and Acro Swing in Asia.
The championship was organised by the World Federation of Acrobatic Dances and Dance Sports (WFADS) in association with the National Federation of Acrobatics and Dance Sport India (NFADI). The event also featured the Asia Training & India’s Nationals Selection Camp held from May 4 to 7 at Manthan Gymnastics Academy.
According to the organisers, internationally acclaimed champions including Svetlana Gavrilova, Alexey Gavrilov, Olga Sbitneva, Ivan Yudin, Igor Vinkovic and Alex Deli trained Indian athletes during the camp, offering them exposure to global standards in dance sports.
The championship witnessed participation from over 120 athletes from various Indian states including Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 100 international athletes from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mongolia, Vietnam, China and India also participated in the event.
Minister Ashish Sood attended the event as Chief Guest, while Gaurav and Khushboo from Manthan Gymnastics Academy were present as Guests of Honour. Special guests included Bikramjeet Singh Cheema, HS Phoolka and Manoj Sethi.
The championship featured several high-energy performances in Acrobatic Rock & Roll and Acro Swing categories.
Winner Categories:
• Rock and Roll Formation Women: Zhastar — Kazakhstan
• Rock and Roll A Class Adults: Enthtur Chinguun & Shanina Ekaterina — Mongolia
• Rock and Roll B Class Adults: Yashanov Kirill & Dossaliyeva Ayana — Kazakhstan
• Acro Swing Adults: Samir Kumar & Priyanshi Mathur — India
Speaking on the occasion, Jasmeet K. Shan, President NFADI, said the championship marks the beginning of a movement aimed at positioning India prominently in globally recognised dance sports.
Oumy Sene, VP Expansion WFADS, said India has the talent and energy to emerge as a major hub for acrobatic dance sports in Asia.
General Secretary NFADI Gurjit Singh Bajwa said the initiative aims to create a structured pathway for Indian athletes from grassroots training to international competition.
Vice President and Trustee NFADI Darsdidar Singh termed the event a proud moment for Indian talent to gain international recognition.
Khushboo Singh, Chairperson of Manthan Gymnastics Academy, said hosting world champions from Europe, East Asia and Russia for the training camp was a significant step towards elevating dance sports standards in India.
The organisers also highlighted the formation of the National Trust of Acrobatic Dances and Sports Development and the upcoming formalisation of NFADI as the governing body aligned with WFADS standards, aimed at strengthening grassroots development and promoting international participation.
The WFADS Asian Championship Cup 2026 is being seen as a significant initiative towards expanding competitive dance sports in India while creating future opportunities for athletes at global platforms. (KNB)