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KOHIMA — Twenty-five-year-old Kezhaseluo-o Pienyü from Kohima village claimed the 29th Naga Wrestling Championship held under the aegis of Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA), at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima on Tuesday.
Representing the Angami Sports Association (ASA), Pienyü, weighing 136 kg and standing 6.3 feet tall, clinched victory and secured cash prizes amounting to INR 3.5 lakh along with the Lt. Velahü Puro Memorial Trophy and citations.
Vemele Thingo, 24, representing the Chakhesang Wrestling Association (CWA), secured the second position. Weighing 105 kg and standing 6.2 feet tall, Thingo, from Thipuzu village, earned a prize of INR 2.20 lakh.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Venuzo Dawhuo, weighing 105 kg and standing 5.10 feet tall, settled for the third spot. Hailing from Thenyizu village and representing CWA, Dawhuo received INR 1.50 lakh.
Rukukhoto Khusoh, also from CWA, stood fourth. Aged 24, standing 5.11 feet tall and weighing 98 kg, Khusoh, who is from Yoruba village, received a prize of INR 1.20 lakh.
Notably, in the semi-final matches, the defending champion Venuzo Dawhuo was defeated by the new champion, Pienyü, while Thingo triumphed over Khusoh to advance to the final match.
Additionally, quarter-finalists were awarded INR 25,000 each. ASA secured the Group Champion title with 142 points, earning INR 30,000.
The NWA also provided INR 4000 and citations to all participants who did not win cash prizes. A total of 54 top wrestlers, with 18 from each of the Angami Sports Association (ASA), Chakhesang Wrestling Association (CWA), and Zeliang Wrestling Association (ZWA), competed in the championship.
Earlier during the opening ceremony, Adilet Bayaman Uulu, president of the World Alysh Federation, expressed gratitude to the NWA for the invitation.
Conveying greetings from Kyrgyzstan to the Naga community, he expressed hope that Alysh and Naga wrestling would bring people together. Sports bring people together and it truly unites, he added.
Uulu also shared updates on upcoming Alysh wrestling events, including its inclusion in the Indoor Asian Games 2025 in Riyadh and the Grand Prix scheduled for April 25-27 in Bishkek this year.
He said that the federation's is working hard to get belt wrestling included in the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, while expressing optimism about Alysh becoming an Olympic sport due to its popularity across Central Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Further, he encouraged athletes to compete with fairness and dedication.
Dr. Hiabe Zeliang, President of NWA, delivered the presidential address, appealing to the president of the World Alysh Federation, president of the Asian Belt Wrestling Federation, and All-India Traditional Wrestling & Pankration Federation (AITWPF) to help the NWA apply for inclusion of Naga style wrestling as a recognised discipline by the United World Wrestling (UWW).
President of Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) and Chief Minister Nagaland of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang attended the event as the host and co-host while the Tenyimi legislators were honoured hosts.
In a notable move, NWA appointed nonagenarian Mamho Chakruno from Chedema village as the Championship Ambassador.