Deepak Punia Shines at Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026 in Gonda

Men's Freestyle Events Conclude at Senior Open Ranking Tournament

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced the successful conclusion of the men's freestyle competitions at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026, which took place at Nandininagar Mahavidyalaya in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

This national ranking event saw an impressive turnout of 593 wrestlers competing across various weight categories, as reported in an official release.

In the 92 kg freestyle category, Deepak Punia from Haryana clinched the gold medal, securing the top national ranking. He reached the finals after defeating Raja (also from Haryana) in the semifinals and went on to triumph over Vansh (Haryana) in the final match.

In the heavyweight division of 125 kg, Rohit (Haryana) advanced through a tough match against Anirudh (Haryana) in Match No. 179, leading to Anirudh's exit from the tournament. Rohit ultimately earned a bronze medal in this category.

As the tournament shifted to Greco-Roman style, several athletes made significant progress in the knockout rounds. Umesh successfully moved past the quarterfinals in the 82 kg division, securing a spot in the semifinals.

The 87 kg category featured Sagar, Manoj Kumar, Manav Sharma, and Tejpal, all of whom won their quarterfinal matches to secure semifinal positions.

In the heavier weight classes, Abhimanu and Ashish confirmed their spots in the gold medal match for the 97 kg category, while Mehar Singh confidently advanced to the final in the 130 kg division.

Commenting on the tournament's developments, Sanjay Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), stated: “The conclusion of the freestyle events today showcased exceptional skill, highlighted by Deepak Punia's commendable run to secure the 92 kg gold. As the Greco-Roman matches intensify, we continue to see the high caliber and depth of our domestic athletes.”

FINAL FREESTYLE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

57kg Freestyle: Gold – Sagar | Silver – Rupesh | Bronze – Lakshay & Sahil

61kg Freestyle: Gold – Abhishek | Silver – Bhuvanesh | Bronze – Vivek & Sandeep

65kg Freestyle: Gold – Sawan Satish | Silver – Udit | Bronze – Ajay & Abhishek Dha

70kg Freestyle: Gold – Anuj Kumar | Silver – Tejveer Singh | Bronze – Rakesh Kumar & Naveen

74kg Freestyle: Gold – Yash | Silver – Sourabh Sehr | Bronze – Naveen & Nishant Ruhi

79kg Freestyle: Gold – Naveen | Silver – Sachin | Bronze – Ritik Rana & Parvinder

86kg Freestyle: Gold – Deepak | Silver – Sahil Dalal | Bronze – Pushpender D & Aniket

92kg Freestyle: Gold – Deepak Punia | Silver – Vansh | Bronze – Raja & Robin Singh

97kg Freestyle: Gold – Prthivraj | Silver – Parveen Kumar | Bronze – Vishal & Ramdhan

125kg Freestyle: Gold – Shubham Dhil | Silver – Chirag | Bronze – Rohit & Karandeep.