India Shines at Inaugural Home Armwrestling World Championship
India's Impressive Medal Haul
Photo: IANS
New Delhi, Nov 7: India concluded the inaugural home Armwrestling World Championship with remarkable success, securing a total of 59 medals during the 47th World Armwrestling and 28th World Para Armwrestling Championship held in New Delhi on Friday.
This championship marked the first time India hosted such an event, attracting over 1,700 participants, including athletes, officials, and supporters from more than 60 nations.
Russia emerged as the overall champion, followed by Kazakhstan in second place and Turkey in third. Notably, six athletes achieved gold in the senior category across both arms: Melek Celik and Esra Kiraz from Turkey, Ulbossyn Elmurat and Yerdualet Nurmakhan from Kazakhstan, and Irina Driaeva and Tengizi Natsvlishvili from Georgia.
India's medal tally included 9 gold, 19 silver, and 31 bronze medals, with para athletes contributing 26 medals (2 gold, 10 silver, 14 bronze), placing India fifth in the para medal standings. Additionally, sub-junior, junior, and youth athletes collectively earned 20 medals (3 gold, 8 silver, 9 bronze), while masters and grandmasters secured 12 medals (4 gold, 1 silver, 7 bronze). India also claimed one bronze in the senior category.
Jincymol Sebastian triumphed in the Grand Master Women 80 kg category, winning gold in both arms. Yogesh Choudhary and Shoukath VT each secured gold in the right arm and bronze in the left arm. In the senior finals, Madhura K N earned a bronze in the Women 70 kg Right category.
The closing ceremony took place at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel in East Delhi, attended by ambassadors from Costa Rica, Romania, and Georgia.
Running from October 29 to November 6, 2026, the championship was organized by the People’s Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI) under the auspices of the World Armwrestling Federation (WAF).
Charles Osei Asibey, President of the Armwrestling Federation of Africa (AFA) and Vice President of WAF, remarked, “India has set a new benchmark as a host. The organization, hospitality, and enthusiasm of the crowd made this championship unforgettable for every continent.”
Preeti Jhangiani, President of PAFI and Co-founder of the Pro Panja League, expressed pride in the athletes, stating, “We welcomed the world’s strongest arms to India, and tonight we bid farewell as one armwrestling family. Our athletes have made the nation proud on home soil. This World Championship belongs to every Indian athlete, coach, and official who believed in this sport.”
Parvinn Dabass, Co-founder of the Pro Panja League, added, “Our athletes have demonstrated the potential of Indian armwrestling on the global stage, in front of a home crowd. Hosting a World Championship was a dream for Panja in India; now it is a standard we will continue to build upon.”
Next year, the World Armwrestling Championship will be held in Canada. In India, the Pro Panja League Poonawalla Gold Edition II is set to take place in Pune on November 28, 2026, featuring World Championship medallists Yogesh Choudhary, Harkomal Singh Gill, and Aabhas Rana.