Haryana Dominates Under-17 National Wrestling Championship with Stellar Performance
Haryana's Triumph at the National Wrestling Championship
Haryana showcased its wrestling prowess by clinching the top position across all three disciplines—freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's—during the Under-17 National Wrestling Championship held in Palwal from May 25 to 27. Following Haryana were Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Delhi, who also performed admirably in each category.
In freestyle wrestling, Haryana athletes secured a total of 10 medals, comprising 5 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze. Uttar Pradesh finished as the runner-up with 5 medals, while Maharashtra also took home 5 medals, earning them third place. The women's freestyle wrestlers from Haryana excelled, winning 10 medals, including 7 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze.
In the Greco-Roman category, Haryana again took first place, achieving 8 medals, which included 6 gold and 2 silver. Maharashtra followed as the runner-up with 9 medals, and Punjab secured third place with 1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze.
Due to the tight schedule between events and the registration deadline for UWW Athena set for May 28, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) selected the gold medalists from this championship to represent India at the Under-17 Asian Championship in Vung Tau, Vietnam, scheduled for June.
Approximately 15 wrestlers from various states were disqualified for being overage. Notably, Delhi's Yash Kumar faced disqualification despite recently winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games in Patna. The WFI plans to consult the General Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) to implement bone age testing for Yash and others to uphold fairness and transparency in the sport.
Haryana had previously secured the team championship titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's categories at the Under-20 National Wrestling Championship in Kota. In freestyle, the top three positions were claimed by Haryana, Delhi, and Maharashtra, while in Greco-Roman, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh dominated. Haryana's women wrestlers also led the rankings, followed by Delhi and Maharashtra.