Khelo India prepares young grapplers for the international grind with two-day weigh-in

Competition manager VN Prasood, who is also the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) secretary general and an international referee, said it was important for the Khelo India competition to be played in consonance with the standard international rules.

"We want the wrestlers to go understand the rules and experiences they will face on the international stage. And weigh-in is a crucial aspect of Wrestling. Athletes will understand from an early age that they must make weight on both days if they do not want to risk being disqualified," he said.

While this rule may be new for some young wrestlers, they are not unaware of its importance. Naina (Haryana), who is the defending champion in the girls' 49kg category, said that this rule is extremely necessary for athletes targeting events like the Asian Games, World Championships or the Olympic Games.

Naina said that when such habits are imbibed from a young age, they stay with the athlete for life. "If athletes want to shine in global events, they must understand this process of a two-day weigh-in. It may be difficult initially to make weight twice, but it will only help us if we get used to the idea," she said.

Echoing her thoughts, Sunny Baisla (Uttar Pradesh), who won a bronze medal in the Khelo India Youth Games last year, welcomed the decision to spread the competition over two days. "It's followed globally, and implementing it here is in the best interest of the wrestlers," he said.

The Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar wrestling competition began on Monday at the Gyan Bhawan here. Preliminary round bouts have started across seven categories: boys' Freestyle 65kg and 86kg, boys Greco-Roman 55kg, 67 kg, and 97kg, and girls' wrestling 57kg and 68kg.