Wrestling: Rivals' eyes on Glasgow

Some of New Zealand's best wrestlers will be trying to pin each other down in a bid to impress selectors ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.

The New Zealand Wrestling Championships are being staged at the Edgar Centre later this week. A host of Commonwealth Games hopefuls, including Hamilton's Aaron Quinlan and Auckland's Craig Miller, will make the trip south to match their skills against locals such as Ricky Welsford.

The trio will compete in the senior grade in the freestyle category. Miller will also contest the graeco category.

Mt Maunganui's Tayla Ford is one to watch in the junior female grade.

Just under 90 wrestlers have entered the event, which is being hosted by the Taieri Wrestling Club.

Some South Island clubs broke away from the New Zealand Wrestling Union about three years ago but Taieri Wrestling Club treasurer Bronwyn Smith said the sport was healing.

''It is coming right,'' Smith said. ''There are still just a couple of clubs that don't [compete].''

The rise of mixed martial arts had not greatly affected wrestling's popularity, as the codes were quite compatible, she said.

Welsford is one of a new generation of wrestlers who cross codes to compete in both sports.

Earlier this month, he used his grappling skills and, ultimately, an arm bar, to win the International Sport Karate Association South Island amateur featherweight title.

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