Kochi to host World Junior Kurash C'ship

Nearly 500 men and women from 50 countries will figure in the eighth World Junior Kurash championship in November. It will be Kerala’s first-ever world championship in any sport.

Kurash, which will make its Asian Games debut in 2018 in Indonesia, is an ancient type of upright jacket wrestling which originated in the territory of modern Uzbekistan and is popular in Central Asia.

The eighth World Junior Kurash championship will be held at the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium here from November 10 to 14.

Nearly 500 men and women from 50 countries will figure in the under-20 event which will be Kerala’s first-ever world championship in any sport.

Competitions will be held in 15 weight categories (seven in men, eight in women) and the event is open to players between 17 and 20 years, said Rajan Varghese, the Secretary of the Kerala Kurash Association.

Kurash, which will make its Asian Games debut in 2018 in Indonesia, is an ancient type of upright jacket wrestling which originated in the territory of modern Uzbekistan and is popular in Central Asia. It is also an event in the Asian Beach Games.