VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Inter-District Wrestling Tournament, organised by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) in NTR district, concluded after three days of intense competition.
Held at Zilla Parishad High School in Nunna, Vijayawada rural mandal, the event saw Krishna district claim victory in the Under-14 and Under-19 Boys Freestyle categories. The Chittoor team won the girls’ championship, while Nellore excelled in the Greco-Roman style for the Under-17 and Under-19 divisions.
Around 700 athletes from 13 districts participated in the tournament, which took place at Ashok Function Hall in Nunna. The closing ceremony featured Power Grid Corporation of India’s Southern Senior General Manager, K Naga Mohana Rao, as the chief guest. He awarded trophies to the winning teams and recognised individual medalists with gold, silver, and bronze medals.
In his address, Mohana Rao praised the students for their commitment to sports despite academic pressures. He emphasised the importance of sports achievements as additional qualifications for higher education and employment but also highlighted the need to balance sports with academic excellence.
School Games NTR District Secretary, M Srinivasa Rao, announced that top performers would represent Andhra Pradesh at the national-level School Games. He also acknowledged the efforts of the high school’s headmaster and Physical Education Directors in organizing the event smoothly.
The prize distribution was led by headmaster Vajrala Bhupal Reddy, with notable attendees including wrestling observers Ramesh and Venkata Krishna, ZP High School alumni representatives Naredla Satyanarayana Reddy and Guntaka Siva Seshi Reddy, and SAAP wrestling coaches Manohar, Uday, and Purna. Other participants included competition organisers T Srilata, T Vijaya Varma, and wrestling coach Bhargav.