Local wrestling icon Randeep (Ravi) Sodhi was honoured by the City of Surrey last weekend.
A plaque was placed in the Newton Recreation Centre, renaming a part of it as the Randeep Sodhi Mat Room.
Sodhi passed away suddenly in March of this year at the age of 36. He was a two-time national wrestling champion, a gold medalist at the 1997 Commonwealth Games, was a board member of Wrestling BC and a co-founder of the Surrey-based Hargobind Wrestling Club.
“Ravi Sodhi was highly regarded within our community as a wrestler, coach and community leader,” said City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “He gave his heart and soul to the sport of wrestling in Surrey, so it seemed fitting to name the mat room after him, given his remarkable achievements and demonstrated leadership that inspired many of our youth.
“This is the first time in Canada that a South Asian sports leader has been honored in such a fashion.”
The mat room at the Newton Recreation Centre provides a variety of opportunities for the residents of Newton including wrestling, karate, tumbling, gymnastics and pre-school play. The Hargobind Wrestling Club holds regular practices in the mat room in preparation for national and international meets.