Asian junior wrestling takes hold of Phuket

PHUKET: The 2013 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships started today with dozens of bouts taking place this morning at Saphan Hin’s 4,000-seat Indoor Sports Complex; and will conclude on Sunday (click here for map).

The Wrestling Championship will be the first time some competitors have competed since the World Wrestling Body (FILA) introduced changes to the point system last month.

With the new changes, bouts are now two periods lasting three minutes, compared to the previous best of three periods with cumulative score deciding the winner, and take downs are worth two points. The changes are to encourage wrestlers to attack.

The rule changes are designed to make the sport more exciting to help its bid to get back into the Olympics. Wrestling is among eight sports vying for the open slot at the 2020 Olympics. The other contenders are: sport climbing, squash, wake boarding, karate, wushu, roller sports and a combined baseball-softball bid.

More than 500 wrestlers from 23 countries are competing at the wrestling event at Saphan Hin, Phuket Town. Qualifying bouts commence at 9:00am and run until midday, with the finals of each weight division settled in the evening from 6pm onwards.

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