Arm wrestling Bangladesh to glory

Growing up, a lot of kids may have partaken in the game of arm wrestling.

To prove who is stronger than the other, without resorting to violence (in most cases) there are very few who will say that they haven't tried arm wrestling. 

This 'game' however, does have a competitive and organisational side to it, as there are national and international arm wrestling competitions for different ages and weight classes all over the world.

Recently, this sport has started to take shape in Bangladesh, where arm wrestlers have been doing well too.

The latest success came when Bangladesh defeated India in an international arm wrestling tournament.

SM Ashiq (60 kg), Nur Hossain Siam (65 kg), and Al Rafiul Islam (85 kg) were three of the winners there in different weight classes and we caught up with them to learn more about their journeys and the growing arm wrestling scene in the country.

All three of them say that they started thinking about taking arm wrestling seriously once they realised they were stronger than the others.

For Ashiq, it was one of his cousins who suggested he should look to participate in competitions while Siam reveals he wasn't good at any other sports but used to win in local sparring sessions at his gym.

Rafiul and his brother would regularly win local arm wrestling matches and his interest in the sport started when he was in school and winning against his classmates.   

"In 2019 we finally found the Arm Wrestling Association Bangladesh and that's what helped us represent our country," Rafiul said.

Ashik expressed that hearing fans chanting his name and cheering for Bangladesh in the competition held at Jamuna Future Park gave him "extra motivation" and helped him win.

"I had worked so hard, and it had all paid off," said Siam while Rafiul called it his "greatest victory".

All three feel that the popularity of arm wrestling in Bangladesh and the number of people taking it up as a sport will increase rapidly as the number of clubs and associations for it has increased in recent times. 

"In the next five years, arm wrestling will be one of the top sports in our country," Ashik added. 

Omair Khan Panni, an arm wrestler and now their coach is a name that is synonymous with the arm wrestling community in Bangladesh and they revealed how he's been one of their biggest inspirations. 

"Panni bhai helped us a lot in the tournament and he's been arm wrestling before some of us were even born. He's a multiple-time national champion too! So his words of advice really gave us motivation in the tournament. He's always helping us and looking to grow arm wrestling in the country," Ashik elaborated. 

Despite feeling positive about the growth and the future of arm wrestling in Bangladesh, none of them felt they could take it up as a full-time career due to the lack of financial incentives.

They detailed on some of the challenges they faced in arm wrestling where Rafiul spoke about the lack of proper training facilities when he started.

"But now things are getting better with more and more places that have arm wrestling training and coaches," Rafiul added. 

Sium felt that there would always be the risk of injuries in arm wrestling so knowing how to develop strength and having the right technique was crucial. 

"We have a community named Arm Wars Association Bangladesh, which organises sparring sessions every weekend and it's open for all who are interested," Ashik said.

All three recommended interested people who want to start arm wrestling professionally to join here if possible and they'd be willing to help. 

"It's easy to start and you don't need a lot of space for it. The only things you need are a table and some training equipment. Every elite arm wrestler who went on to become successful has their own table and setup so self-training is very important," Ashik added. 

Ashik plans to participate in the arm wrestling World Cup down the line.

"I'll train hard to prepare myself for future tournaments and I'd like to say to other interested arm wrestlers that there's no cheat code for overnight success. You have to stay consistent to learn and gain strength," he explained. 

Sium wants to build the arm wrestling community and help others interested as much as possible.

"Don't be afraid to start. Arm wrestling is a great way to get exercise and challenge yourself. Enjoy the process of learning and improving. I believe that arm wrestling is a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. I am excited to see how the sport develops in the future and I hope to play a role in its growth," Sium expressed. 

Rafiul concluded by saying, " for those interested, train safe, get strong and love arm wrestling!"