Ramesh Kumar strikes gold

NEW DELHI, June 21: India signed off the Mahindra Tractors 11th World Cadet Wrestling Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium her...

NEW DELHI, June 21: India signed off the Mahindra Tractors 11th World Cadet Wrestling Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Saturday by adding a gold and a silver to the gold won yesterday through Anil Kumar Mann in 83-kg. India thus finished second behind Russia in overall medals tally.

Ramesh Kumar, a trainee of Captain Chand Roop akhara at Azadpur Subzimandi, won the country’s second gold, in the 63-kg category by beating Russia’s B Yusuf on points (6-3).

The other Indian contender for gold, Naresh Kumar, however, was outwitted by Russia’s R Ramzan in 45-kg final.

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The third Indian to have a bout on the final day of the four-day championships, Nishant (95-kg) finished fifth after beating Behzad Sohrabji of Iran with a 8-5 verdict.

Russia retained the team championships by finishing with 71 points after having earned four gold, two silver and a bronze. The hosts finished second, the same position they got at the 1991 championships at Alma (Canada), with a tally of two gold and one silver. Iran (53 points), of whose wrestlers much was expected, proved a disappointment, collecting only a gold, a silver and two bronze medals.

Anil Kumar Mann was awarded a tractor by sponsors Mahindra Tractors, after being adjudged as the best Indian wrestler in the championships. He had given the country its first gold (83-kg) yesterday.

Russia’s Cuhcev Rustam was presented a gold watch for being the best foreign participant.

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Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, who was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, announced an award of Rs one lakh each to the two Indian gold medalists.

Fifteen-year-old Ramesh Kumar, a ninth standard student of Jahangirpuri Government School, was at his attacking best against his Russian opponent in the 63-kg final. The Indian took the Russian by surprise by lifting him in the early seconds of the bout to gain an early 1-0 lead. As the Indian was gaining points, his opponent was only trying to avoid his vice-like grip.

With a flip-flop, the Russia drew level at 3-3 before Ramesh put the Russian on the mat with 25 seconds of the four-minute duration remaining. Both the wrestlers were so tired at the end of the bout that they lay on their backs on the arena for a while at the end of the regulation time.

Naresh Kumar was not so lucky and his inexperience made all the difference between gold and silver. Trailing 3-4 with hardly a few seconds left, the Russian rolled over the Indian to gain two points and turn the tables against the home favourite.