Kolhapuri - Sports

Sports

Kolhapur is famous for Wrestling. Khasbaug wrestling stadium is one of the largest stadiums in India for wrestling with seating capacity of about 20,000 people. Kolhapur has also contributed in Olympic level games such as shooting, and swimming. Tejaswini Sawant, who won the Gold Medal for 50m rifle prone shooting at the 2010 ISSF World Shooting Championships held in Munich, is from Kolhapur. Virdhawal Khade who hails from Kolhapur has won medals in national as well as international swimming events. Anuja Patil from kolhapur is a cricketer from Maharashtra played in Twenty20 internationals for India. Rahi Sarnobat is an athlete from kolhapur who competes in the event of 25 metres pistol shooting. She who won two gold medals in 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. She won the first gold in 25m pistol event in pair with Anisa Sayyed. Suhas Khamkar is a professional bodybuilder from kolhapur.During his 12 years of successful professional career in bodybuilding, Suhas has won various accolades at the state and national level. Some of the prestigious awards to suhas credit are :Mr. India 2012 Overall Champion, Mr. India 2011 Overall Champion, Mr. India 2010 Overall Champion, Mr. Asia 2010 (First Indian to win Mr. Asia), Maharastra Shree, Mr. India (below 18 years category), 5 times Gold medalist in All India Railway competitions. Parth Ghorpade from kolhapur is a Winner of 5 National Karting titles including the 2008 and 2009 Rotax Junior and the 2010 Rotax Senior Championships.He has represented India at the 2008, 2009 & 2010 Rotax World Finals in Italy and Egypt.His Present racing activities are FFSA / Autosport Academy F4 Renault 1.6 French Championship.

Football is a very popular sport in Kolhapur. Kolhapur League matches are held at Shahu Stadium and most top flight teams are professional in nature. The football tradition is as old as wrestling in the city. The League consists of 3 divisions with over 50 clubs and around 1000 players registered. The I-League games are also held at Shahu Stadium. Also the international friendly between the Indian and Dutch women's team was played in Jan 13 at the Shahu Stadium.

B. B. Nimbalkar, from kolhapur was an Indian cricketer, best known for his score of 443 not out during the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy, which remains the highest score, and the only quadruple century, in Indian first-class cricket.During the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy, playing for Maharashtra against Kathiawar at Pune, Nimbalkar made 443 not out, at the time second only to Don Bradman's 452 not out as the record first-class innings and currently fourth-highest of all-time. He was unable to break the record because, with the total standing at 826 for 4 at the lunch interval, the Kathiawar side conceded the match; however Bradman sent a personal note to Nimbalkar saying that he considered Nimbalkar's innings better than his own.He is still considered as one of the best 11 cricket players in the world.

Teja Bandal from kolhapur has become the first Indian to win the excellence award in International Origami Competition organised by British Origami Society.Out of the participants from 123 countries across the globe, Teja has emerged as the winner for her innovative work in origami tessellation and interior design and architecture.

Snehal Bendke, a student from kolhapur was the first Indian basketball official(refree) to represent India at olympics. She acted as a refree for london olympics 2012.

5 year-old Shreeya Deshpande from Vibgyor High, Kolhapur set a new world record in Limbo Skating.Her incredible feat of skating in the position for 158 feet and two inches in mere 23 seconds smashed the previous world record of 111 feet held by a nine-year-old boy.

• 'Khasbaug Maidan' in Kolhapur is the first wrestling stadium in India based on a Roman style built by King Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur and hosts seating arrangement for 20,000 people.