Sub-junior nationals: Grapplers to wrestle in ring, HSC-SSC exams at the same time
Given that Class 10 and Class 12 examinations are currently underway, the organisers have cut down the original four-day championship to three days.
Maharashtra’s wrestling pride will depend on the performances of Saurabh Ingwe and Akash Mane at the 37th sub-junior national wrestling championship to be held at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex in Balewadi from March 13. Alandi’s Bhagyashree Fand, Kolhapur’s Vishranti Patil and Disha Karande are expected to win medals for the state in the girls’ section.
The championship is being organised by Sahayadri National School and Sahayadri Wrestling Complex under the aegis of the Maharashtra Amateur Wrestling Association. Given that Class 10 and Class 12 examinations are currently underway, the organisers have cut down the original four-day championship to three days. Every day, one category will finish all their bouts.
“The Cadet Asian Championships, which was supposed to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was earlier scheduled for July. But it was rescheduled and will be held between May 3-6. As per the federation rule, the entries for any international tournament are required to send one month before the tournament. Hence, we were forced to conduct the sub-junior matches in March,” said Vijay Barate, convener of the tournament.
The under-17 championship is of significant importance as the probable team for the national camp will be picked based on the performance of players in this tournament. Later, all Indian teams for the Youth Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October, will be selected from the camps.
“All girls’ matches will be held on March 13 and the boys’ Greco-Roman events will be conducted on the next day. The freestyle events will be conducted on March 15. We want to free the wrestlers in as less time as possible so that they can prepare for their board exams," said Dinesh Gund, international referee and technical official of the MAWA.
"Over 300 girls and 600 boys from 30 states and affiliated units of the Wrestling Federation of India will congregate in this tournament," said Balasaheb Landge, general secretary of MAWA.
The championship will be conducted as per the new weight categories approved by the United World Wrestling. In the boys section, the weight classes are 45kg, 48kg, 51kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 71kg, 80kg, 92kg and 110kg. On the girls’ side, the weight categories are 40kg, 43kg, 46kg, 49kg, 53kg, 57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 69kg and 73kg.
"We are setting up three mats at the boxing hall so that bouts in all three categories can be conducted simultaneously," said Vijay Barate.