New Delhi, May 23: India made a remarkable start at the U23 Asian Wrestling Championship held at the Tien Son Sports Center in Da Nang, Vietnam, securing five medals in the Greco-Roman category on the first day. Suraj Singh and Sagar Singh both clinched silver medals, setting a strong tone for India’s campaign.
Suraj Singh excelled in the 60 kg weight category, reaching the finals but ultimately lost to Kazakhstan’s Aibek Aitbekov with a score of 0-4, settling for silver. In the 67 kg category, Sagar Singh also delivered an impressive performance throughout the tournament. However, he faced a defeat in the finals against Uzbekistan’s Aitjan Khalmakhanov, losing 0-9 by technical superiority, which left him with a silver medal as well.
Kumar Sachin earned a bronze medal in the 77 kg category, despite a 3-10 loss to Kazakhstan’s Alikhan Durusunov. Rohit narrowly missed out on a bronze in the 97 kg category, losing a close match 3-5 to Uzbekistan’s Bekhruz Burnoev. Hardeep also fell short in the 130 kg category, losing 0-4 to Kazakhstan’s Jokhar Uzirov.
Vineet (72 kg) and Amit Gope (82 kg) were eliminated after suffering defeats by technical superiority. Vineet lost 6-9 to Uzbekistan’s Shahzod Kuchkorov, while Amit was defeated 0-10 by Tajikistan’s Muhammad Sultanzoada.
Sanjay Singh, President of the Indian Wrestling Federation, praised the Greco-Roman wrestlers for their outstanding performance, stating, “Our wrestlers have shown tremendous courage and discipline on the mat. This performance highlights the continuous progress of Indian Greco-Roman wrestling at the continental level. I congratulate all medal winners and wish the rest of the wrestlers success in their upcoming matches.”
In the previous U23 and U17 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Vietnam, India secured three medals in the U23 Greco-Roman category, including a gold medal by Sumit (63 kg) and bronze medals by Ankit Gulia (72 kg) and Nitesh (97 kg).
Last month, India also achieved five medals in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2026 Asian Wrestling Championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, marking the country’s best performance in this category at a continental senior event in the past five years.
On Sunday, India’s Greco-Roman campaign will continue, with Neeraj competing in the qualification rounds of the 55 kg category, while Sumit (63 kg) and Rohit Bura (87 kg) will also aim for medals.
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