Chhattisgarh, March 31 In a physically demanding sport such as wrestling, where peak fitness is crucial, competing with an injured shoulder is a substantial risk. However, Jharkhand wrestler Poonam Oraon transformed that risk into an opportunity. Despite enduring pain in every match, she secured the gold medal at the inaugural Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, creating an inspiring comeback story.
Each time Poonam made a tackle in the final of the women’s 50kg match at the Khelo India Tribal Games, she would wince in pain from her injured shoulder. The 19-year-old wrestler dislocated her shoulder at age 10, and the pain occasionally resurfaces.
The pain flared up again before the final match, forcing her to heavily strap her left shoulder just to participate. Despite the pain, she pushed through and defeated Telangana’s K Geetha to win her first gold medal at any national-level competition.
“How could I give up? Nine years ago, my shoulder got dislocated. It recovered in between, but it keeps hurting. If I have not given up in so many years then how could I have given up now?” Poonam told SAI Media after the title triumph.
“Since the beginning of my career, I have been struggling with injuries, but I never gave up. Winning a gold medal feels like a dream come true. This injury is nothing compared to the pain of not winning gold for nine years,” she added.
Poonam is from Suiyabar village in Jharkhand’s Chatra district. She dislocated her shoulder shortly after starting wrestling in 2017 and was unable to compete for nearly a year. Upon her return, she secured bronze medals at the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) national championships in 2018 and 2019, yet her goal of winning a gold medal remained unachieved.
Poonam revealed that she wasn’t fully fit even before this competition. “My family was asking me not to compete, but my coach and support staff believed in me. With their support, I was able to compete and win gold. Winning a medal after six years is very special for me, and it is because of my strong will,” said the youngster, who trains and stays in Ranchi now.
Balancing her academics and wrestling, Poonam is currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Ranchi University and aims to join the Jharkhand team for the Junior Nationals.
“My next target is to qualify for the Junior Nationals and I want to continue this golden run in events I compete in,” she added.
--IANS
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