Venuzo Dawhuo defends CAWA title for record 5th time

CHETHEBA — Reigning NWA champion Venuzo Dawhuo on Thursday lifted the champion’s title of the 30th biennial Chokri Area Wrestling Association (CAWA) meet held at Chetheba town in Phek district.

With the latest win, Dawhuo has lifted the CAWA title for a record five consecutive times – 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.

The champion, weighing 105 kg and standing 5.10 feet, walked away with a cash prize INR 1,00,000.

Twenty-four –year-old Vemele Thingo from Thipuzu village, the second position holder and weighing 100 kg, won INR 80,000.

Third-placed 22 –year-old Cusavoyi Chuzho (72 kg) from Chetheba town and fourth-placed 23-year- old Medozho Kapuh (80 kg) from Thenyizu village, also received INR 70,000 and INR 60,000, respectively.

Meanwhile, Ngosa Tunyi from Kikruma village stood first in the Under-16 category.

Mutsezo Puro from Kikruma village stood second, Khruzo Tetseo from Khulazu Basa and Nungoto Nakro from Thenyizu village were placed third and fourth, respectively.

Earlier, Advisor for CAWD and Taxes Kudecho Khamo, the special guest of the event, in his speech, pointed out that the narrative of sports has changed over the years and exhorted the players to be honest, train well, work hard and maintain integrity.

He also called upon the society to give importance to sport as it has been generating employment and income.

Khamo asserted that the Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) under the presidency of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been promoting sports and making strides, citing Nagaland’s improved performances in the last two Northeast Olympic Games.

Kuhupoyo Puro, former vice president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), stressed on the need for sportspersons to head sports associations in order to promote sports. He also pointed out the need to give interest and focus on national style (free style) and Greco-style wrestling.

Delivering the presidential address, Vezhoduyi Thisa, called upon the Chokri area people to rethink and refocus and also challenged the wrestlers to focus on and promote belt wrestling as it will be included as an Olympic discipline.

The programme was led by Chekrotso Chuzho.

Also read: Kezhavizo Thevo retains NASA-B wrestling champion title