Gold
medals
aren't
made
of
gold.
They
are
made
of
hard
work,
determination
and
guts.
This
proved
India's
Pride
and
Commonwealth
Heavyweight
Wrestling
Champion
Sangram
Singh
as
he
returned
to
Pro
Wrestling
to
beat
his
23-year-old
Pakistani
opponent
Mohammed
Saeed
at
the
International
Pro
Wrestling
Championship
in
Dubai
in
a
nail-biting
wrestling
match
that
lasted
18
minutes.
Sangram
Singh,
who
admits
listening
to
his
inner
voice
to
get
on
to
the
mat
again,
admits
this
comeback
at
40
had
a
nation's
hope
riding
on
him.
For
one,
the
fully
packed
stadium
of
supporters
was
just
part
of
an
entire
nation
looking
up
to
him,
his
former
International
coach
Dhyanchand's
faith
in
him
and
of
course
the
future
generation
of
wrestlers
and
those
veterans
who
needed
to
believe
they
still
had
the
fight
left
in
them!
"This
is
not
my
victory.
This
win
is
of
every
Indian
who
believed
in
me,
stood
by
me
and
prayed
for
me," expressed
Sangram
Singh.
"This
is
the
victory
of
every
youth
who
has
dreams
in
his
eyes
and
fire
in
his
heart."
Sangram
Singh's
last
triumph
on
the
mat
was
more
than
half
a
decade
ago
at
the
KD
Jadhav
Memorial
International
Khusti
Championships,
where
he
clinched
the
Gold
by
convincingly
defeating
Kevin
Radford
Jr.
Admitting
the
return
was
not
easy,
Sangram
confesses,
"I
returned
to
wrestling
after
6-7
years,
put
on
weight
with
food
and
liquids.
But
Muhammad
Saeed
is
9-10
Kg
heavier
than
me,
is
18
years
younger,
and
has
speed,
ability
and
strength
surpassing
mine.
What
I
had
was
faith
and
belief
in
myself.
And
to
win,
each
youngster
needs
to
have
the
same
faith.
The
pressure
was
immense
at
a
power-packed
stadium
filled
with
Indians,
the
match
was
Live
the
world
over.
It
was
one
of
the
toughest
matches
in
my
life
and
one
of
the
best
as
well.
This
victory
marks
the
beginning
of
my
mission
to
motivate
and
allow
youth
to
turn
World
Champion
Wrestlers,
armed
with
faith
and
belief.
The
youth
needs
to
learn
about
the
journey
of
those
who
came
before
them,
the
shoulder
of
the
people
they
stand
on
today
before
they
learn
to
walk
their
path."
Incidentally,
Sangram
Singh's
film
Udaan
Zindgi
Ki...
on
Chaupal
is
spelling
exactly
this
and
is
all
set
for
a
March
release.
"I
am
blessed
that
our
entire
nation
is
holding
my
hand
in
this
mission,"
said
an
emotional
Sangram
Singh,
admitting
that
the
faith
and
prayers
of
the
nation
was
his
armour
in
this
match.
The
Pro
Wrestling
Championship
won
Sangram
Singh,
a
15
kg
Gurj,
1
Golden
belt
and
a
Gold
medal
alongside
the
prize
money.
Needless
to
say,
#SangramSinghReturns
is
trending
on
X
and
Instagram!