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21-Year-Old Wresler Chalks One Up For Women After Pinning Male Challenger In A Minute

Challenge Accepted: Young Woman Wrestler From MP Pins Down Male Opponent In Under A Minute
A fist against an open palm
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A fist against an open palm

After challenging her male counterparts to a wrestling match in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, a young woman wrestler successfully defeated a male challenger in under a minute.

According to a Hindustan Times report, Rani Rana, who hails from Gwalior, jumped into the wrestling arena when the bout for the 45-kg category was announced at the sports grounds of the Sardar Vallabbhai Patel Higher Secondary School in Kodariya Village.

The 21-year-old’s challenge was accepted by Vinod Prajapati, a wrestler from Harsola in Mhow. Unfortunatley for Prajapati, he was pinned down in under a minute by Rana, who used a ‘nelson hold’ to secure her victory.

A nonchalant Rana, in an interview with HT, admitted that challenging a male counterpart was not a big deal for her, as in the past she had faced several male wrestlers in the arena. “The most important thing was that I wanted to show people that we are no less in strength and can beat anyone on any day,” she said.

Her win was lauded by former Olympian Kripashankar Patel who claimed that her victory would not only boost her confidence, but would serve to inspire other women wrestlers. “I’m confident that she can match anyone, male or female in an akhara. Her future is bright and she has the potential to win medals for the country,” said her coach Ajay Viashnav in the interview.

Rana started wrestling in 2010, after watching women indulge in the sport in Gwalior. She is currently training at Indore’s Sports Authority of India, and recently took part in the national senior wrestling championship in New Delhi.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.