India Shines at 2026 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships with Two Golds
India's Triumph in Wrestling Championships
New Delhi [India], April 11: At the 2026 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Indian wrestlers Sujeet and Abhimanyou showcased their skills by winning gold medals in their respective freestyle finals on Saturday.
Sujeet, who has remained undefeated this year, showcased his prowess in the men's 65kg freestyle final, decisively defeating Umidjon Jalolov from Uzbekistan with a score of 8-1. This victory marks him as the first Indian to secure the Asian Championships gold in this weight class since Bajrang Punia's win in 2019, according to a statement from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Although Sujeet started cautiously in the first round, Jalolov managed to hold him off. However, the 23-year-old Indian quickly gained momentum in the second round, achieving his fifth victory over the Uzbek wrestler.
Shortly after, Abhimanyou added to India's success by overcoming a 0-2 deficit to triumph over Mongolia's Tulga Tumur Ochir, finishing the match 5-3 in the men's 70kg freestyle final.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Mann had an opportunity to secure a third gold for India but narrowly lost 1-2 in a tightly contested final in the men's 79kg category.
Earlier in the competition, Ankush earned a bronze medal by defeating Japan's Fuga Sasaki 8-2 in the men's 57kg freestyle, bringing India's total medal count to two golds, four silvers, and eight bronzes.
On the final day of the championships, India has the chance to win two more gold medals, with Aman (men's 61kg freestyle) and Mukul Dahiya (men's 86kg freestyle) both securing spots in their finals.
Aman, who previously won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in the 57kg category and claimed gold at the Asian Championships two years ago, is competing in a higher weight class this time. In a thrilling semi-final, he edged out Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan of Iran with an 11-9 victory.
He is set to face North Korea's Kwang M Kim, who won his semi-final match against Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan.
In the 86kg category, Mukul Dahiya initially fell behind by six points in his semi-final against Bolat Sakayev of Kazakhstan but rallied back with two crucial takedowns, ultimately winning 12-6 to secure his place in the final. He will compete against Kamran Ghasempour of Iran for the gold medal.
Additionally, Dinesh will vie for a bronze medal in the men's 125kg freestyle category after losing his semi-final match to Shamil Sharipov of Bahrain.