Indian Men's Wrestling Team Triumphs at U23 Asian Championships
Historic Victory for Indian Wrestling
Photo: @ians_india/X
New Delhi, May 27: The Indian men's freestyle wrestling team has emerged as the champions at the U23 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Da Nang, Vietnam, securing the Team Championship Trophy with an impressive first-place finish.
India showcased its dominance in freestyle wrestling, finishing ahead of strong competitors Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, who took the second and third spots, respectively.
This remarkable victory in freestyle wrestling capped off an outstanding continental performance by the Indian team, which collectively earned a total of 27 medals, including eleven gold, seven silver, and nine bronze across Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling, and Greco-Roman categories.
The freestyle team concluded their campaign with nine medals, comprising four gold, three silver, and two bronze. Akshay T Dhere (57kg) and Vicky (97kg) set the pace with their gold medal performances, followed by Kumar Mohit (65kg) and Chandermohan (79kg), who also claimed gold.
Deepak Rathi (61kg), Punit Kumar (92kg), and Lacky (125kg) contributed silver medals to the team’s success, while Deepak Berwal (74kg) and Mor Sachin (82kg) secured bronze medals, rounding out the freestyle team's achievements.
"Winning the U23 Asian Championship Trophy is a significant milestone for Indian wrestling and a source of great pride for our nation. Our freestyle wrestlers have demonstrated exceptional determination and skill to outshine top wrestling nations like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan," stated Sanjay Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
"Our athletes across all three styles have shown that the future of Indian wrestling is incredibly promising. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all medalists, coaches, and support staff for this historic achievement," he added.
India’s women wrestlers also excelled in the tournament, achieving ten medals in total. The women's team secured an impressive six gold medals, with Muskan (53kg), Tapasya (57kg), Bhagyashree (62kg), Pulkit (67kg), Mansi (68kg), and Kajal (76kg) all demonstrating their technical prowess in their respective finals.
Neha (59kg) and Sweety (50kg) fought hard for silver medals, while Amruta (72kg) and Ahilya (55kg) completed their campaigns with bronze finishes.
In the Greco-Roman category, Indian wrestlers made a strong start by winning eight medals. Sumit led the way with a gold in the 63kg category, while Suraj (60kg) and Sagar Singh (67kg) earned silver medals.
Neeraj Patel (55kg), Sachin (77kg), Rohit Bura (87kg), Rohit (97kg), and Hardeep (130kg) added to the medal tally with bronze finishes.
With the successful conclusion of the U23 championships, attention will now turn to the sub-junior team, as the U17 Asian Wrestling Championships are set to begin at the same venue in Da Nang tomorrow, with the first matches starting at 10 AM.