Reetika Hooda Weight, Age, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession	Freestyle wrestler
Physical Stats
[1]The Week Weight	74-75 Kg (163-165 lbs)
Height (approx.)	5' 4" (163 cm)
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Wrestling
International Debut	2019 World Wrestling Championship, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Category	76 Kg
Coach/Mentor	• Mandeep Singh
Medals	Gold • U23 World Championships, Tirana (76 Kg) (2023) Silver • Polyak Imre and Varga Janos Memorial Wrestling Tournament, Budapest (76 Kg) (2024) Bronze • Ibrahim Moustafa Wrestling Ranking Series, Egypt (72 Kg) (2023) • Asian Wrestling Championships, Astana (72 Kg) (2023)
Records (main ones)	• The first Indian Women Wrestler to win a quota in the women's 76 kg category in wrestling in Olympics • The first-ever Indian Under-23 Woman Wrestling World Champion in the 6th U-23 Wrestling World Championships held at Tirana, Albania • The second Indian to win a Gold in the U23 Wrestling World Championships (2023)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	Year, 2002
Age (as of 2024)	22 Years
Birthplace	Rohtak, Haryana
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Rohtak, Haryana
College/University	Chandigarh University, Punjab
Educational Qualifications	Bachelor of Arts
Religion	Hinduism
Caste	Jat
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Unmarried
Family
Parents	Father- Jagbir Singh (Retired Army Personnel) Mother- Neelam Hooda (Homemaker)
Siblings	Brother- 1 (Elder) (Army Personnel)
Favourites
Wrestler	Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat

Some Lesser Known Facts About Reetika Hooda

• Reetika was persuaded by her father to opt for a career in wrestling when she was studying in school. At that time she used to play handball in school, and her father asked her to choose an individual sport instead of a team sport.

• Reetika’s wrestling journey started in 2015 when her father made her join Chhotu Ram Academy in Rohtak.
  

  Reetika Hooda during a practice match at Chhotu Ram Academy

• Ritika receives a monthly scholarship of Rs. 12,000 from Chandigarh University which takes care of her coaching facilities and special diet.

• Since coming into wrestling, Reetika has idolized Kiran Bishnoi.

• Reetika realized the significance of the Olympics when she witnessed her senior, Sakshi Malik, winning the Olympic medal in 2016.

• Reetika’s maternal grandfather was also a freestyle wrestler and supported Reetika throughout her wrestling journey.
  

  Reetika Hooda with her maternal grandfather

• Ritika once said in an interview that she does not like eating chicken, but keeping her preparation in mind, she has to eat it for protein.

• Reetika was once selected for the handball team of her school team, but her father did not allow her to participate. When the school authorities requested him to give his consent, he changed her school.

• Reetika also holds the rank of Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the Indian Navy.

• Reetika started wrestling initially in the 68 Kg category and later switched to the 72 Kg where she competed for two years. After that, she shifted to the 76 Kg category to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

• In 2023, Reetika switched to 76 Kg from 72 Kg before entering the World Championship tournament. She won against USA’s Kennedy Blades in the finals with a score of 9-2 to become the first Indian female wrestler to win the U-23 World Championship.
  

  Reetika Hooda during her match against Kennedy Blades