JOIN USSantosh Dyamanna Hosamani had built a reputation for notching up quick victories over his opponents. Unfortunately for the Dharwad wrestler, the same approach cost him his life after an injury at the recent State Games.
In his preliminary 97-kg Greco-Roman bout against Mohammad Ali of Davanagere on February 8, Hosamani fractured his right thigh while attempting a move. After six days of treatment, the 21-year-old succumbed to a cardiac arrest here at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) hospital on Tuesday.
At the Kalabhavana arena, Hosamani had begun the contest in dominant fashion and 45 seconds into the bout, the youngster’s decision to go for a back arch throw caused trouble.
Hosamani, who lifted his opponent and tried to throw him straight over his head, couldn’t complete the move as he lost control and collapsed, fracturing his thigh bone. The wrestler was rushed to the District hospital from where he was shifted to SDM Hospital.
“He was very good at attack. Had he thrown the opponent in front, he would have got two points. But he was in a hurry to finish the bout and he went for the back arch throw, which would have given him four points,” lamented his trainer Chinnappa K.
The tragic incident comes six days ahead of the All-India Inter-University Championship to be held in Sirsa in Haryana where Hosamani was set to participate. A university blue, Hosamani was selected in the Karnatak University Dharwad team. “He was set to leave for Haryana with the team on February 17. He had the chance to get selected in the University team last year but he fell ill during the selection process,” Chinnappa said.
Chandrashekar G, Hosamani’s main coach, said it will take some time for him to recover from the loss. “He was one of the promising wrestlers of Dharwad. It will haunt me whenever I visit the wrestling arena,” he said.
Son of Dyamanna Hosamani, a daily wage labourer, the wrestler carried the hopes of his family. His brother, a driver, is the other bread-winner of the house. “He depended on money earned from wrestling to maintain the required diet. He would compete in many meets to make money,” said another senior coach Shravan Yogi.