In what may seem as a historic day in the making, the Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA) is all set to organize the 14th Open Naga Wrestling Championship and first Belt Wrestling Championship, at the half completed Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC), Dimapur, on March 17 and 18. The championship is to be hosted by Zeliang Wrestling Association (ZWA) and co-hosted by Kuda Village Council.
President, NWA, Dr. Hiabe Zeliang announced this at a press conference held at Hotel Tragopan, on Saturday evening.
Zeliang informed that the Belt Wrestling Championship (BWC) would be held on March 17, with president, Tenyimi Public Organization, advocate, Timikha Koza, as the special guest. He further informed that the 14th NWC would be held on March 18. Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and deputy chief minister, TR Zeliang, have been approached to grace the event as special guest and guest of honor respectively, he added.
On the NWC, he said it would comprise only one category where the winner would walk away with a cash prize of Rs. 2,10,000 and the second, third and fourth placed wrestlers would be awarded with Rs. 1,60,000, 1,10,000 and Rs. 80,000 respectively, while all quarter finalists would receive an amount of Rs. 10,000 each.
He also stated that five wrestlers from Manipur would partake in the competition.
On the BWC, he noted that the belt championship would comprise of 11 categories, seven for men and four for women, whereby gold, silver and bronze medalist, would walk away with a cash prize of Rs. 10,000, Rs. 7000 and Rs. 5000 respectively.
In regards to division of categories, he noted that the seven categories under men would constitute of 49 kgs, 54 kgs, 59 kgs, 65 kgs, 76 kgs, 85 kgs and 100+ kgs category, while the four categories of women would constitute of 49 kgs, 50 kgs, 53 kgs, and 63+ kgs.
He further informed that winners of each category would automatically qualify to represent the state at national level.
The registration form can be collected from Sports World, Color studio (Kohima), United Sports Agency (Dimapur), Ada Grocery (Jalukie), S Printer Enterprise (Phek), Live Centre Bakery (Pfutsero), and CP stationary (Chozuba town), free of cost and the last date for submission would be March 16, 12 noon.
Live matches would also be telecasted live on Pay Per View (PPV) basis, with co-partners as ViTech, a locally based online firm from Kohima. He noted that anyone could witness the live matches with a payment of Rs. 300 for one day and Rs. 500 for both days by logging on to www.mytvshows.in.
He further noted that no other channels would be allowed to telecast the event live, however electronic media could cover the programme, subjected to not telecasting it live on any platforms.
In regards to tickets, he informed that a sum of Rs 2000 and Rs. 500 would be charged for donors and chairs for two days, while Rs 100 per day is for the gallery.
The president requested all participants to stay/camp at Dimapur from March 16 to 18 and be present on both days, adding that weight measurement of BWC participants would be held on March 16 at the venue from 2 pm to 4 pm. Zeliang was optimistic on having more than 100 participants.