500 wrestlers vie for national team spots in Herat

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A selection competition to form the national wrestling team was held in western Herat province on Saturday, drawing 500 wrestlers from several provinces.

At the opening ceremony, Mufti Abdul Rahim Rahmani, Head of Physical Education and Sports, said the event kicked off at the Herat Wrestling Arena with great enthusiasm and strong support from spectators from Herat and neighboring provinces.

Elite wrestlers from the provinces of Badghis, Farah, Ghor, Nimroz, Helmand, and Herat competed across seven weight categories.

The goal of the event was to identify and select top athletes for the national wrestling team, Rahmani added.

Out of the 500 participants, 28 wrestlers were selected to represent Afghanistan at the national level.

Obaidullah Pahlawan, one of the competitors, told Pajhwok that such events play a vital role in nurturing sports talent and inspiring athletes.

He highlighted that wrestlers in the 57 to 85 kilogram weight categories gave outstanding performances and secured places on the national team.

Traditional wrestling continues to hold a special place in Afghan culture, with growing interest among youth across the country.

hz/sa