File picture of a Naga-style wrestling bout

NAGALAND WRESTLING

Dimapur, March 7: Wrestlers from three different tribes will show their grappling skills in two divisions — the traditional Naga style and the popular freestyle — at the 19th Nagaland wrestling championship in Kohima on March 9 and 10.

The meet, featuring Angami, Chakhesang and Zeliangrong wrestlers from Kohima, Phek and Peren districts and organised by the Nagaland Wrestling Association, will offer Rs 4.35 lakh as prize money.

The organisers said the traditional sand and foam cushions have been replaced this time with wrestling mats from Italy.

Sixteen contenders, including champions Hevesü of Chakhesang, Kezhalelie Keretsü of Angami and Puikube of Zeliangrong tribe, will fight it out in the Naga-style events. The teams will be putting forth their best wrestlers.

Hevesü is defending champion and a former winner in the open Naga-style wrestling championship. He is the reigning champion of the Chakhesang wrestling meet for the past two years, while Keretsü is the defending champion among the Angamis.

Puikube was the best wrestler at the Zeliangrong wrestling meet this year.

The 1998 and 1996 champion Hükhonieyi Soho from the Chakhesang community, who is making a comeback after seven years, is another wrestler to look out for.

The freestyle events will have eight weight categories each for men and women.

The individual Naga-style champion will get Rs 70,000 in cash, while runner-up takes home half the amount. The organisers have promised Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 to the third and fourth position holders.

The winners and runner-up of the freestyle events for both men and women will bag Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 (in all categories) respectively.