New Delhi, May 27: The Indian men’s freestyle wrestling team has emerged victorious at the Under-23 Asian Wrestling Championship held in Da Nang, Vietnam. India claimed the top spot, surpassing countries like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which finished second and third, respectively.
The Indian team concluded its continental campaign with a remarkable achievement in freestyle wrestling. Overall, they secured 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 alone finished their campaign with nine medals: four gold, three silver, and two bronze. Akshay T. Dhere (57 kg) and Vicky (97 kg) kicked off the medal tally with impressive gold medal performances. Kumar Mohit (65 kg) and Chandramohan (79 kg) continued the momentum.
Deepak Rathi (61 kg), Puneet Kumar (92 kg), and Lakhi (125 kg) contributed to the team’s historic success by winning silver medals, while Deepak Berwal (74 kg) and Mor Sachin (82 kg) secured essential bronze medals to complete the freestyle tally.
India’s women wrestlers dominated the tournament, winning an impressive ten medals. The women’s team claimed six gold medals, with Muskan (53 kg), Tapasya (57 kg), Bhagyashree (62 kg), Pulkit (67 kg), Mansi (68 kg), and Kajal (76 kg) showcasing their technical prowess in their respective title matches.
Neha (59 kg) and Sweety (50 kg) fought bravely to earn silver medals, while Amrita (72 kg) and Ahilya (55 kg) concluded their campaigns with bronze medals.
In the Greco-Roman category, Indian wrestlers laid a strong foundation by winning eight medals early in the tournament. Sumit led the charge with a gold medal in the 63 kg division. Suraj (60 kg) and Sagar Singh (67 kg) added silver medals to the tally.
Neeraj Patel (55 kg), Sachin (77 kg), Rohit Bura (87 kg), Rohit (97 kg), and Hardeep (130 kg) further enhanced this outstanding performance by winning bronze medals.
Sanjay Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India, stated, “Winning the Under-23 Asian Championship trophy is a significant achievement for Indian wrestling and a matter of great pride for the entire nation. Our freestyle wrestlers have demonstrated tremendous determination and technical improvement to outpace top wrestling nations like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Our athletes have proven that the future of Indian wrestling is very bright. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our medal winners, coaches, and support staff for making this historic victory possible.”
With the successful conclusion of the Under-23 competition, the focus will now shift to the sub-junior team. The Under-17 Asian Wrestling Championship is set to commence tomorrow in the same venue in Da Nang.
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