Jammu wrestler Hamam Hussain wins first national gold in Chhattisgarh
The 28-year-old athlete secured the men's 79kg freestyle title at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026.
Jammu wrestler Hamam Hussain won the men's 79kg freestyle gold medal at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 in Chhattisgarh. According to the Times of India, Hussain defeated Mohit Kumar of Himachal Pradesh to secure his first national-level gold after 14 years of wrestling.
Hussain's journey involved supporting his family by delivering milk alongside his elder brother following the death of his father. His brother, a former state-level wrestler, reportedly encouraged Hussain to continue the sport despite their financial circumstances.
The wrestler's training has been marked by limited facilities and long commutes. Hussain trains at a mud akhada located nearly 20 kilometres from his village and travels approximately 40 kilometres to Jammu to practice on wrestling mats.
Hussain told SAI Media that his brother had to quit wrestling to sell milk to run the family, but motivated Hussain to attend dangals. He noted that he generally visits the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Jammu when competitions are scheduled.
The athlete described the facilities at the Games as good and suggested that better training support in villages could help more regional wrestlers compete at national and international levels.
Hussain expressed hope that more competitions like this would provide opportunities for emerging wrestlers from remote communities to showcase their abilities.