Punjabi Munda becomes lord of the ring
At first glance you would never guess that soft spoken Botany store manager Jatinder Sandhu is a wrestler, let alone a champion one.
But the 26-year-old from Mt Roskill is a lion in wrestling arena; so much so that he has now become the first Indian to be selected in the New Zealand national team.
Jatinder, originally from Patiala, Punjab, last weekend powered his way into the national team after winning the New Zealand Senior Freestyle (96kg) Championship in Dunedin.
Earlier this year he won the Waikato champs held at Hamilton; Auckland champs held in Dilworth (Auckland); Hunua Counties champs (Papakura); North Island champs (Hawera); and the All New Zealand Wrestling Clubs champ (Hamilton).
However, Jatinder is not the first in his family to have gained fame from success in the ancient sport.
His father, Gurmukh Singh, is a former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medalist, having won the Indian national championship five times, a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games, bronze in the Asian Games, and gold in the SAAF Games.
“It feels really good to be at the top because I’m the only Indian to be New Zealand national champion in history and I feel proud as well as I represent not only my country but the whole Indian community as well,” Jatinder told the Indian Weekender.
“From next year I'll be in the national team of New Zealand and will be representing New Zealand and Indians abroad.”
Jatinder said he came to know about the Dilworth Wrestling Club after a year living in New Zealand.
“Dilworth Wrestling Club is one of the best wrestling clubs in New Zealand. Ian Adamson runs the club and he motivated me to join the club when I first met him and told him about myself.
“When the coach at Dilworth, Amir (Iranian wrestling veteran) saw me training with other guys he advised me to take wrestling seriously because he thought I could really do well if I work harder.
“From that day onwards, I started listening to him and found myself improving in the sport.”
Jatinder also credits his success to the persistent drive by his mother back home in Punjab.
“My mum used to push me very hard because she wanted me to be very successful in life. Nothing was important for her except looking after my diet, my sleep and my training.
She always used to say that one day I'd make her proud. I also represented Punjab in all-India Inter University wrestling championships and won gold in 96kg, I won silver in senior Punjab games.
“I was doing well but then suddenly tore some of my leg muscles while training and doctor told me to take a long break . . . this was the time when I made my mind to come to New Zealand.”
Jatinder has Bachelors and Masters in History, and in New Zealand studied Business Management.
“I have been in New Zealand for two years and seven months now. I got my Permanent Residency last month and I’m thankful to my employer, Mr Bramha Naidoo, for helping me get there,” said Jatinder, who manages the Opportos store in Botany Town Centre.
Jatinder is part of one of two prominent wrestling families in Patiala, based near Mohindra College.
Dad Gurmukh Singh, who now works as a sports officer in Punjab, is well respected in the city because of his prowess in the sport.
“We also have our own wrestling club in Patiala and it is a registered club, and some of the guys in our club are nationally and internationally renowned players,” said Jatinder.
“My dad looks after the club and my uncle, Harjeet Singh, trains them. We give free accommodation and food facilities to all the guys who can’t afford their expenses. Currently we have 35-40 members in the club (17 live in the club itself).”
For now, Jatinder is reveling in the glory of his wrestling success, and has set his sights on representing New Zealand at next year’s Oceania Games, the World Championships, and later the Olympics.
At first glance you would never guess that soft spoken Botany store manager Jatinder Sandhu is a wrestler, let alone a champion one.
But the 26-year-old from Mt Roskill is a lion in wrestling arena; so much so that he has now become the first Indian to be selected in the New Zealand national team.
At first glance you would never guess that soft spoken Botany store manager Jatinder Sandhu is a wrestler, let alone a champion one.
But the 26-year-old from Mt Roskill is a lion in wrestling arena; so much so that he has now become the first Indian to be selected in the New Zealand national team.
Jatinder, originally from Patiala, Punjab, last weekend powered his way into the national team after winning the New Zealand Senior Freestyle (96kg) Championship in Dunedin.
Earlier this year he won the Waikato champs held at Hamilton; Auckland champs held in Dilworth (Auckland); Hunua Counties champs (Papakura); North Island champs (Hawera); and the All New Zealand Wrestling Clubs champ (Hamilton).
However, Jatinder is not the first in his family to have gained fame from success in the ancient sport.
His father, Gurmukh Singh, is a former Commonwealth Games and Asian Games medalist, having won the Indian national championship five times, a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games, bronze in the Asian Games, and gold in the SAAF Games.
“It feels really good to be at the top because I’m the only Indian to be New Zealand national champion in history and I feel proud as well as I represent not only my country but the whole Indian community as well,” Jatinder told the Indian Weekender.
“From next year I'll be in the national team of New Zealand and will be representing New Zealand and Indians abroad.”
Jatinder said he came to know about the Dilworth Wrestling Club after a year living in New Zealand.
“Dilworth Wrestling Club is one of the best wrestling clubs in New Zealand. Ian Adamson runs the club and he motivated me to join the club when I first met him and told him about myself.
“When the coach at Dilworth, Amir (Iranian wrestling veteran) saw me training with other guys he advised me to take wrestling seriously because he thought I could really do well if I work harder.
“From that day onwards, I started listening to him and found myself improving in the sport.”
Jatinder also credits his success to the persistent drive by his mother back home in Punjab.
“My mum used to push me very hard because she wanted me to be very successful in life. Nothing was important for her except looking after my diet, my sleep and my training.
She always used to say that one day I'd make her proud. I also represented Punjab in all-India Inter University wrestling championships and won gold in 96kg, I won silver in senior Punjab games.
“I was doing well but then suddenly tore some of my leg muscles while training and doctor told me to take a long break . . . this was the time when I made my mind to come to New Zealand.”
Jatinder has Bachelors and Masters in History, and in New Zealand studied Business Management.
“I have been in New Zealand for two years and seven months now. I got my Permanent Residency last month and I’m thankful to my employer, Mr Bramha Naidoo, for helping me get there,” said Jatinder, who manages the Opportos store in Botany Town Centre.
Jatinder is part of one of two prominent wrestling families in Patiala, based near Mohindra College.
Dad Gurmukh Singh, who now works as a sports officer in Punjab, is well respected in the city because of his prowess in the sport.
“We also have our own wrestling club in Patiala and it is a registered club, and some of the guys in our club are nationally and internationally renowned players,” said Jatinder.
“My dad looks after the club and my uncle, Harjeet Singh, trains them. We give free accommodation and food facilities to all the guys who can’t afford their expenses. Currently we have 35-40 members in the club (17 live in the club itself).”
For now, Jatinder is reveling in the glory of his wrestling success, and has set his sights on representing New Zealand at next year’s Oceania Games, the World Championships, and later the Olympics.
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