Against All Odds: Pune Teen Sunny Fulmali From Lohegaon Hut Wins Gold at Asian Youth Wrestling Championship in Bahrain
Against All Odds: Pune Teen Sunny Fulmali From Lohegaon Hut Wins Gold at Asian Youth Wrestling Championship in Bahrain
Pune: Sunny Subhash Fulmali, a 17-year-old wrestler from Lohegaon, Pune, has won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Wrestling Championship in Bahrain in the 60 kg category, inspiring many with his story of determination.
Sunny comes from a poor family. His father, Subhash, earns a living with a bull, while his mother sells needles and thread. The family lives in a small hut in Lohegaon, which they built after moving from Beed fifteen years ago. Despite these hardships, wrestling has always been a big part of their lives. Subhash, a wrestler himself, trained his three sons in a makeshift wrestling arena next to their hut.
Recognizing Sunny’s talent, local wrestlers Somnath Moze and Sada Rakhpasare started training him. Later, wrestler Sandeep Bhondwe adopted Sunny and trained him at his centre, covering all his expenses. Sunny’s father said, “I saved money from my daily work to pay for Sunny’s training. Even though we couldn’t watch his matches, his coaches kept us informed. Winning gold has fulfilled our dream, and now we hope he competes in the Olympics.”
Sunny’s mother added, “We live in a hut on someone’s land. Sunny’s success is all because of his coach, Sandeep Appa Bhondwe. Our family struggles financially, but Sunny’s dedication has brought him this far.”
Sunny said, “My coach trained me while I continued my studies. At the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, I competed against players from Iraq, Iran, Japan, and Korea. In the final, I defeated an Iranian wrestler to win gold. My first call was to my coach, then my parents. My dream now is to compete in the Olympics.”
Sunny Fulmali’s journey shows that talent, hard work, and support can overcome even the toughest challenges.
