Gonda, October 5 (Daily Kiran) : Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former MP and ex-president of the Indian Wrestling Federation, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of Indian wrestlers at the 2026 Asian Games. He had anticipated a haul of at least eight medals but noted that the female wrestlers did not meet expectations.
In an interview, Singh remarked, “The results we anticipated in wrestling did not materialize. The girls didn’t perform as well as expected. I believed we would secure a total of eight medals, including three golds, but we ended up with six. Still, this is the best outcome since 1966. We can say our medal tally matches that of the 2023 Asian Games, but this time we secured more golds.”
He emphasized the need for continued development in wrestling, citing recent turmoil in the sport that hindered many talented athletes from replicating their past performances. Singh noted that there is currently good collaboration among the government, sports federations, and athletes. He expressed hope that the six medals won at the Asian Games would be matched at the Olympics.
When asked about his political future, Singh clarified that he would not contest the upcoming assembly elections in 2027. He stated that decisions regarding the next parliamentary elections would be made in due course, adding that he could not comment further on his plans for those elections.
At the 2026 Asian Games, Indian male and female wrestlers collectively secured six medals. Aman Sahravat won gold in the 57 kg freestyle category, while Sujeet Kalakal claimed gold in the men’s 65 kg freestyle wrestling. Nitesh Siwach earned silver in the Greco-Roman 97 kg category. Female wrestler Anshu Pangal also won silver in the 53 kg freestyle wrestling, alongside Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar, who both secured bronze medals in their respective categories.
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