Wrestler Dipu’s decade-long reign continues

Mohammad Dipu has been a standout in the country's wrestling, holding his ground not only in local village wrestling since a young age but also on the artificial mats at national championships for over a decade.

While wrestling isn't as popular as other sports in Bangladesh, it still has its charm, with a few wrestlers like Dipu consistently excelling at the national level. Competing for Bangladesh Ansar, Dipu yesterday secured his 10th gold medal out of the 11 championships he's entered, celebrating this milestone on the final day of the 36th National Wrestling Championships.

Dipu's wrestling journey began in his home village in Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla, where he was inspired by his grandfather and father, who were both local wrestlers. He started competing in traditional village wrestling in 2005, at the age of 14, and quickly made a name for himself as a champion. After several wins, he moved to Dhaka in 2012 to compete in the Junior Wrestling Championship, where he took the title and subsequently got a job in Bangladesh Ansar.

"On the back of only 17 days' training, I won a gold medal in the 61kg category during my first appearance at the senior level through the Bangladesh Games in 2013. Since then, I grabbed eight consecutive gold medals -- two each in 61kg and 65kg and four in 70kg -- until 2022 because I lost the 70kg final in 2023. However, I regained the 70kg medal, beating Jewel of Army this time," said Dipu after his 10th gold triumph.

He recalled his early success with humility, saying, "To be honest, I did not realise what I achieved when I won gold in the 2013 Bangladesh Games. But I realised in 2014 that it is a bigger achievement than the fridge and TV I used to win in our locality." Dipu added that Bangladesh Ansar has acknowledged his successes, and he's received recognition from others as well.

Although Dipu is now a national player, the 33-year-old wrestler still goes to his locality to play village wrestling during the winter season.

"Usually I sell four to five fridges or TVs every year, which I get as the champion prizes in village wrestling, because competitions are held every week in 17 villages of Uttar union under Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla during the winter season," informed Dipu.

However, he also expressed regret at not winning an international medal, despite competing in a handful of international tournaments in India, Thailand, Korea, Iran, and Turkey between 2013 and 2018.

"I am satisfied with my current position, but I regret not winning any medal for the nation at the international level. However, I really feel proud as a wrestler when I go abroad to represent Bangladesh," said Dipu, who wants to play until he turns 40.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ansar emerged as the champion team in both the men's and women's sections. The men's team secured seven golds, one silver, and one bronze, while the women's team won six golds, one silver, and three bronzes.