15-Yr-Old Wrestler Clinches Gold On First Death Anniversary Of His Mother, Dedicates Victory To Her

Where there is a will, there is a way. The proverb speaks about the importance of willpower and determination to fight the odds in pursuit of achieving one's dreams.

15-year-old wrestler Mahesh Rathore has been a living example of rising above the obstacles to accomplish his goals. The young athlete clinched the gold medal at the U-15 National Championships held in Ranchi on Thursday, December 16. The day coincided with the demise of his mother, Archana Rathore, who had succumbed to COVID-19 last year.

Sister Hansa Bagged Bronze In 57kg Category

The road to this victory was not an easy one as the family had hit rock bottom after the huge loss. It almost took a fortnight for the Mahesh and his sister Hansa and their father, Anil Rathore, a farmer, to cope with the situation. However, the testing times strengthened Mahesh and his sister's resolve to fulfill their mother's dream by winning laurels at the wrestling match.

In her quest for excellence, Hansa won 57kg bronze in the 2021 sub-junior nationals in March, her second in two years. Mahesh, meanwhile, clinched his first medal on December 16, the day when he lost his mother exactly a year ago.

He was trailing with a few seconds left in the 68kg Greco-Roman final at the championships. Mahesh, however, executed a throw to earn four points and won 10-7 against his opponent from Uttar Pradesh.

"When she was with us, she used to keep everything ready, including our dietary requirements. But ever since she left us, our responsibilities have increased manifold. From preparing our food to packing bags for the tournaments, we are responsible for everything," Mahesh reminisced, reported The New Indian Express.

"He spoke to me in the morning, and I told him to make sure he doesn't return empty-handed as today is his mother's first death anniversary. The result must have been very satisfying as it's a first national-level medal," said Coach Kripa Shankar Patel, who trains Mahesh occasionally, as per the publication.

Mahesh's father shared that there were days when everything felt uncertain after his wife's death but the tragedy charged his kids emotionally and they set out to honour their mother's wish.

Dedicate Victory To Mother

The 15-year-old rightfully dedicated the medal to his mother.

"This is for her. I hope she will keep blessing us (me and sister) to make sure we continue with our good show in future."

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