Auckland resident Kamini Maganlal has placed New Zealand on the global Yogasana stage after winning two Bronze Medals at the inaugural World Yogasana Sports Championship held in Ahmedabad, India.
Competing in the Senior C Female category for athletes aged 45 to 55, Kamini secured Bronze Medals in both the Forward Bend and Supine categories. Her achievement is significant not only for her personal journey, but also for New Zealand’s growing presence in a sport that is still emerging internationally.
The championship brought together 522 competitors from 79 countries, making it one of the largest global gatherings for competitive Yogasana. The five-day event was opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marked the first world championship dedicated to the sport.
For Kamini, the medals represent years of discipline, personal commitment and quiet determination. For New Zealand, they represent an important moment of recognition in a sport that combines traditional yoga practice with the structure, precision and pressure of international competition.
A New Zealand Story With Global Reach
Kamini’s journey is not the typical story of an athlete who began training as a child with a single goal of international competition. She is an Auckland-based IT professional, a wife and a mother of three who discovered competitive Yogasana only a few years ago.
What began as a personal wellbeing practice soon became something much deeper.
Under the guidance of her coach, Prema Nagesh, Kamini developed her skills, discipline and confidence in Yogasana. Over time, yoga became an important part of her daily routine, supporting her physical health, mental wellbeing and overall balance.
That personal commitment eventually led her to represent New Zealand on the world stage.
Competing at an inaugural world championship is a rare experience. There is no long history to lean on, no previous benchmark to measure against and no established pathway that makes the journey simple. Athletes stepping onto that stage are not only competing for medals, they are helping shape the early history of the sport.
Kamini is now part of that history.
What Is Competitive Yogasana?
For many people, yoga is associated with health, relaxation, flexibility and mindfulness. Competitive Yogasana is built on those foundations, but it also requires the discipline and performance standards of elite sport.
Athletes perform structured postures and sequences before qualified judges. Their movements are assessed on factors such as flexibility, balance, strength, control, stability, precision and presentation.
Every posture demands focus. Every transition matters. The athlete must show both physical capability and mental composure, especially when performing under pressure in front of judges, spectators and fellow competitors from across the world.
Kamini’s medals in the Forward Bend and Supine categories highlight her technical control and preparation. These categories require more than flexibility. They demand body awareness, strength, breathing control and the ability to hold form with accuracy.
That is what makes the result so impressive.
Balancing Work, Family and World-Level Competition
One of the most relatable parts of Kamini’s story is the life she continued to balance while training.
She was not training in isolation from everyday responsibilities. She was managing work in Auckland’s IT sector, family life and the demands of preparing for an international competition.
That balance makes her achievement especially meaningful for many in the community. It shows that sporting excellence does not always follow one fixed path. Sometimes it starts later in life. Sometimes it begins as a health decision. Sometimes it grows quietly through consistency, discipline and the right support.
Kamini’s journey also challenges narrow ideas about age and competition. In the Senior C Female category, she has shown that high-level performance, discipline and ambition are not limited to young athletes.
Her success sends a clear message to women, parents and working professionals: it is never too late to pursue a passion seriously.
A Proud Moment for New Zealand
Kamini’s performance helped place New Zealand among the nations recognised at the first World Yogasana Sports Championship.
For a country with a smaller participant base compared with larger nations, winning two Bronze Medals at this level is a noteworthy achievement. It also opens the door for greater awareness of Yogasana in New Zealand, particularly within community organisations, schools, wellness groups and sporting programmes.
As Yogasana continues to gain international attention, there is potential for more New Zealanders to participate, compete and represent the country at future events.
The sport also has strong community appeal. It connects physical wellbeing with focus, discipline and cultural heritage. In a diverse country like New Zealand, Yogasana has the potential to bring people together across age groups and backgrounds.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Kamini’s achievement is more than a medal story. It is a reminder of what can happen when personal wellbeing grows into purpose.
Her success may encourage more people to explore yoga not only as a wellness practice, but also as a disciplined sport. It may also inspire parents, professionals and older adults who may feel that competitive opportunities have passed them by.
In reality, Kamini’s story proves the opposite.
With the right guidance, commitment and mindset, new goals can begin at any stage of life.
From Auckland to Ahmedabad, Kamini Maganlal’s journey has now become part of New Zealand’s sporting story. Her double Bronze Medal win at the inaugural World Yogasana Sports Championship is a proud achievement for her family, her coach, the local community and the wider New Zealand Indian diaspora.
Most importantly, it shows that dedication still matters.
Kamini did not just win medals. She helped put New Zealand on the world Yogasana map.
