Midhun Jith

Midhun Jith (born 2 April 1989) is a Marine Engineering Officer and former two-time World Kickboxing Federation Champion who competes in the light heavyweight division. He is the only Indian to hold the World Kickboxing Championship and International Karate Championship at the same time,[1][2] and he is the first Guinness World Record holder to win a World Kickboxing Federation World Championship.[1][2]

Midhun Jith
BornMidhun Jith
(1989-04-02) 2 April 1989
Chundale, Wayanad
ResidenceKochi, Kerala, India
Nationality India
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
DivisionMiddleweight, Light Heavyweight
StyleKarate, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Judo, Wrestling, BJJ, Kurash
StanceOrthodox
Rank  4th Dan Karate Black belt in Kenyu Ryu Karate – Japan
  3rd Dan Karate Black belt in KAI
  Black belt in Shito ryu Karate- Japan
  Black belt in Taekwondo -World Taekwondo Federation- Korea
Years active1998–2007
2011–2013
Websitewww.midhunjith.com

Jith won the World Kickboxing Championship at Zagreb, Croatia in 2013, and broke two Guinness World Records for the maximum number of martial arts kicks.[1][3] Jith is a two-time International Karate Champion, Indo-Sri Lanka karate champion, seventeen-time National Karate Champion, twenty-one-time State Karate Champion, and three-time National Open fight champion. He won the Indian National Open Kickboxing Championship. He won the King of Kumite title in 2012.

Career in Martial Arts

Jith started his martial arts career at 7 years old with his younger brother Nithinjith. He trained in Shito-ryu Karate, and began to learn Taekwondo and Judo under koshy Gireesh PK (7th Dan Black belt )from an early age.[1][2][4]

His first achievement was in a Taekwondo district championship. He won gold in the championship. He won gold for judo at the District level in 2002. He won his first national level gold (India) in karate at the age of 10,[5] and held his first black belt at the age of 12, under P.K. Gireesh. Later, Jith won 18 consecutive National Championships in different styles, categories and federations. At the same time, he won 21 consecutive state championships.[5] After giving a walkover (since the opponent was equal to his master) for the National Open Final Fight (2007). In 2011 he won two International Karate Championships and two National Championships in Karate.[1][2][4]

Guinness World Records

On 25 June 2011, he earned his first Guinness world record breaking attempt against Ahmad Husain from Pakistan for most martial arts kicks in 1 minute; he hit 288 kicks in one minute and broke the then-record of 190 kicks.{{[1][2][4]}}

Because of a problem with the video footage Guinness records authorities requested he retry his attempt. Four months later Raul C. Meza from the United States broke Ahmad Husain's record with a new record of 281 kicks in one minute.[1][2][4] On 28 October 2011 Jith beat Meza's record with 310 kicks in one minute and also created his own Guinness World Record of 608 martial arts kicks in 3 minutes.[1][2][4]

World Kickboxing Championship

In 2012, Jith received an invitation from Golden Glory for training sessions at Golden Glory, Thailand where he was trained by Bas Boon among others. After Dutch kickboxing and Muay thai training from Golden Glory, he returned to India and joined the national kickboxing team by winning the national kickboxing championship.[1][2][4] He then won World Championship in Zagreb, Croatia in 2013.{{[1][2][4]}} Jith was selected by the national team for the world championship three years in a row, and was selected for the world championships in the Czech Republic in 2014.[1][2][4]

Jith was the first Indian to achieve the trifecta of breaking the Guinness World Record, winning the International Karate Championship and the World Kickboxing Championship at the same time.[5]

Championships and accomplishments

Kickboxing
  • WKF- World Kickboxing Championship (Light Heavyweight ) (Croatia)
  • WKF- World Kickboxing Championship (Cruiser weight)( Croatia)
  • KFI- National Kickboxing championship (India)

Karate
  • International Karate Championship (Open weight) (2 times)
  • National karate championships (17 times)
  • State karate championship (20 times)
  • KKA- Kerala State championship ( Heavyweight) (1 time)
  • National Karate Open fight ( Open weight class) (2 times)
  • State Open Fight ( Open weight class) (1 time)
  • Best fighter title − 2012 ( Open weight class) (1 time)
  • King of kumite – 2012 ( Open weight class) (1 time)

Guinness World records
  • Guinness World Record (2 times)
  • Most martial arts kicks in one minute − 310 kicks
  • Most martial arts kicks in Three minutes − 608 kicks

Others
  • District Judo Championship 2003
  • District Taekwondo championship 2002

See also

References
  1. "Kicking his way to the Guinness". Saliha Nasline. IBN Live. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  2. "Fighting the Good Fight". Sooraj Rajmohan. 'The Hindu' Daily. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  3. "Marine engineering student from Kerala creates world record in Martial arts". ANI. 'Yahoo News'. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. "Midhun's kicks enter Guinness Book of Records". Express News Service. The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  5. "Forgotten Heroes of Indian Contact Sports – Midhun Jith". sportsrediscovered.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
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