Indian Wrestlers Shine at Ulaanbaatar Open with Gold Medals

Indian wrestlers Sunil Kumar and Nitesh Kumar excelled at the Ulaanbaatar Open, each winning gold medals in their weight categories. Sunil's victory in the men's Greco-Roman 87kg division and Nitesh's triumph in the 97kg category highlight their impressive performances. The tournament, part of the United World Wrestling Ranking Series, continues with more events featuring other Asian Games-bound wrestlers. Read on to discover more about their journeys and the team's overall performance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 4, 2026, 22:46 IST

Gold Medal Triumphs for Indian Wrestlers

Indian wrestlers Sunil Kumar and Nitesh Kumar showcased their skills by winning gold medals in their respective weight classes at the Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series in Mongolia on Thursday.

Sunil Kumar's Remarkable Comeback

Sunil Kumar, a former Asian champion, claimed victory in the men's Greco-Roman 87kg category, narrowly defeating Kyrgyzstan's Azat Salidinov with a score of 4-3 in a tightly contested final. This gold medal represents Sunil's first Ranking Series accolade since his triumph at the Zouhaier Sghaier tournament in Tunisia back in 2022, as reported by Olympics.com.

His journey began with a walkover against Mongolia's Turbold Ganbold in the quarter-finals, followed by a hard-fought semi-final where he edged out Venezuela's two-time Pan American champion Luis Eduardo Avendano Rojas, winning 3-3 on criteria.

Nitesh Kumar's Victory in the 97kg Division

In the men's Greco-Roman 97kg category, Nitesh Kumar, who previously earned a silver medal at the Asian Championships, secured the top spot by defeating Kazakhstan's Nurassyl Amanaly with a score of 13-9 in an exciting final.

Nitesh's path to victory included a quarter-final win against Venezuela's Juan Leonardo Diaz Blanco, where he triumphed 3-1, followed by a semi-final victory over Mongolia's Gankhuyag Ganbaatar with a score of 4-1. This gold medal marks Nitesh's second consecutive podium finish at the Ulaanbaatar Open, having previously secured silver in the last edition.

Team Performance and Future Competitions

Both wrestlers were part of a six-member Indian team qualified for the Asian Games, competing in this tournament, which is the third event of the 2026 United World Wrestling Ranking Series season.

The performance of India's Greco-Roman team was mixed, with Aman in the 77kg category narrowly missing a medal. Other competitors, including Asian Championships silver medallist Lalit Sehrawat (55kg), Karanjit Singh, Sachin Sahrawat (both 67kg), Anil (72kg), and Ankit Gulia (77kg), did not secure podium finishes.

The tournament will continue for the next three days, featuring women's and freestyle events. Asian Games-bound wrestlers Mansi Ahlawat (62kg), Priya Malik (76kg), and Mukul Dahiya (86kg freestyle) are set to commence their competitions later in the event.

The Ulaanbaatar Open, taking place from June 4 to 7, is the third event on the United World Wrestling Ranking Series calendar this season.