Pooja Gehlot is an Indian freestyle wrestler, who participates in 50 kg and 53 kg women’s wrestling events. In 2018, she received the Bharat Kesari title at a freestyle wrestling competition.
Wiki/Biography
Pooja Gehlot aka Pooja Gahlawat was born on Saturday, 15 March 1997 (age 25 years; as of 2022) in Narela, New Delhi. She hails from Farmana, Haryana. Her zodiac sign is Pisces.
Pooja Gehlot’s childhood picture
She pursued a Bachelor of Physical Education from Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 3″
Weight (approx.): 55 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her father, Vijender Singh, works as a lab assistant at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Delhi. Her mother’s name is Jagwanti Devi. She has two brothers named Ankit Gahlawat and Pushpendra Gahlawat, and a sister named Priyanka Gahlawat.
Pooja Gehlot with her father
Pooja Gehlot with her mother
Pooja Gehlot with her brother Pushpendra Gahlawat
Pooja Gehlot with her brother Ankit Gahlawat
Pooja Gehlot with her sister
Career
In 2016, Pooja made her wrestling debut at the National Junior Wrestling Championship in Ranchi under the 48 kg category. She won a gold medal in the championship. During her practice sessions, she had a major injury and doctors asked her to take a rest for a year. In 2017, she resumed her practise sessions, and in 2018, she participated in a freestyle wrestling competition. The competition was organised by the Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs department to commemorate the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. In the competition, she received the Bharat Kesari title along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
Pooja Gehlot being felicitated on winning the Bharat Kesari Dangal
Pooja went on to participate in various wrestling competitions like Junior Asian Championships and World Wrestling Championship. Her coach is her uncle Dharamveer Singh.
Medals
- 2016: Gold medal in Junior National Championship, Ranchi
- 2017: Gold Medal in Junior Asian Championships, Taiwan
Pooja Gehlot with her gold medal in Asian Championship (2017)
- 2019: Silver Medal in World U23 Wrestling Championships, Budapest, Hungary
Facts/Trivia
- At the age of 6, Pooja started learning the techniques of wrestling. Her uncle Dharamveer Singh was a wrestler, and she used to accompany him to his matches in childhood. There, she used to observe the moves of wrestlers and practice the moves at home.
- Her father did not want her to make a career as a wrestler. She then started playing games like Volleyball in her school. She has played volleyball at the national level.
Pooja Gehlot with her volleyball team
- She redeveloped her interest in wrestling after watching the match of the Indian wrestlers Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
- She considers the Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt as his inspiration.
- Pooja follows a vegetarian diet.
- During an interview, Pooja talked about her strengths in wrestling. She said,
Initially, when I knew that I had to train with boys I was reluctant. But I wanted to be a wrestler and my father always motivated me to not think about such things. Training with Greco-Roman wrestlers helped make by defence rock-solid.”
- Pooja has endorsed Guardian GNC which is a health supplement brand.