Nitesh Siwach Secures Silver in Men's 97kg Greco-Roman Wrestling at Asian Games 2026

Nitesh Siwach's Silver Medal Achievement

At the Asian Games 2026, India's Nitesh Siwach clinched a silver medal in the men's 97kg Greco-Roman wrestling category after facing Japan's Yuri Nakazato in the final match on Thursday.

Details of the Gold Medal Match

In the gold medal match, Nitesh fell behind 0-2 in the first round, as Nakazato took advantage of a penalty against the Indian for passivity. Despite Nitesh's solid defense, he couldn't capitalize in the last 30 seconds of the round.

With two minutes left, Nakazato increased his lead to 4-0 by skillfully taking Nitesh down for additional points. The Japanese wrestler maintained pressure throughout the match, attempting to secure a pin, but Nitesh held firm. Ultimately, Nakazato controlled the bout until the end, earning the gold medal while Nitesh settled for silver.

A Historic Moment for Indian Wrestling

Nitesh's silver medal marks a significant moment in Indian wrestling history, as he becomes only the second Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to reach an Asian Games final, following Maruti Mane, who won silver in the same category at the 1962 Asian Games.

India's Performance on Day 12

With Nitesh's achievement, India's medal count reached four on Day 12 of the Asian Games 2026. The country also earned a silver in sailing, thanks to Manu Francis and Prince Noble in the men's skiff event. Additionally, the women's squash team secured a bronze medal after their semifinal loss, and archer Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru won bronze in the men's compound individual event by defeating Vietnam's Cong Duc Dang earlier that day.