Kundapur’s Gururaja Poojary clinches silver at Commonwealth wrestling

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Apr 05, 2018: Gururaja Poojary, a weight lifter from Kundapur has  won the silver in the men’s 56 kg category  on the first day of the 21st Commonwealth Gamed  held at Gold Coast Australia on April 4, Wednesday.

 

Twenty four year old Gururaja  is the son of Paddu Poojary and Mahabala Poojary couple from Jeddu village. He is  presently serving the Indian Air Force. He had earlier won gold at the Asian Games  by lifting a total of 241 kg weight in the 56 kg category. He had even  clinched gold in the South Asian Games.

 

Gururaja’s  father  Mahabala  is a truck driver by profession.   Gururaja had his early education at the Government Higher Primary School at Vandse and later at Mookambika High School, Kollur. It was Sukesh Shetty his physical instructor  who noticed the talent in young Gururaja and encouraged him. Gururaja later did his graduation from SDM College  Ujire where  coach Rajendra Prasad trained him. He is a three time national champion and was trained at SDM Sports Training Institute.

He had called up his parents from Australia and had told them that he was working hard to bag a medal, his family members told media.

As the news of Gururaja’s feat broke, hundreds of well-wishers, relatives and friends thronged his house greeting his parents and family members.