New Delhi, April 5: The Asian Wrestling Championship is set to take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sahravat leading the Indian contingent. This championship has previously been hosted in 2018 and 2024.
The event will follow a two-day format, starting on Monday with Greco-Roman wrestling, followed by women’s wrestling and freestyle events. Approximately 350 wrestlers will compete for 30 gold medals, with India fielding a total of 30 wrestlers.
Aman Sahravat, who secured an Olympic medal in the 57 kg category and became the Asian champion in 2023, will now compete in the men’s non-Olympic 61 kg category. The 22-year-old wrestler has also won several medals at the Grand Prix level in this category, including a silver medal at the Zagreb Open earlier this year.
In excellent form, Sujeet, the current Under-23 World Champion in the 65 kg category, will also participate in this championship. The last Asian title for India in any category other than 57 kg was in 2019 when Bajrang Punia made a memorable comeback by winning gold in the 65 kg category in Xi’an. Sujeet aims to end this drought and bring home an Asian title for India after three years.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s wrestling team will miss World Championship medalist Anshu Malik, who was defeated by Meenakshi Goyat during the national trials last month in the 53 kg category. This loss marked her first defeat in the national circuit in three years.
Manisha Bhanwala, the gold medalist in the 62 kg category at the 2025 Asian Championship, will compete this year in the 57 kg category. Mansi Ahlawat will participate in the 62 kg category. In Greco-Roman wrestling, five-time Asian Championship medalist Sunil Kumar (87 kg) will lead the Indian challenge.
In the previous edition of the Asian Championship held in Amman, Jordan, Indian wrestlers secured a total of 10 medals, including one gold, three silver, and seven bronze.
The Indian wrestling team for the 2026 Asian Wrestling Championship includes:
Women: Neelam Sirohi (50 kg), Meenakshi Goyat (53 kg), Hansika Lamba (55 kg), Manisha Bhanwala (57 kg), Neha Sangwan (59 kg), Mansi Ahlawat (62 kg), Monica (65 kg), Mansi Lathar (68 kg), Harshita (72 kg), Kajal Dhokch (76 kg).
Men’s Freestyle: Ankush (57 kg), Aman Sahravat (61 kg), Sujeet Kalakal (65 kg), Abhimanyu (70 kg), Jaideep (74 kg), Sandeep Singh Mann (79 kg), Mukul Dahiya (86 kg), Puneet Kumar (92 kg), Vicky (97 kg), Dinesh (125 kg).
Greco-Roman: Lalit (55 kg), Sahil (60 kg), Sunny Kumar (63 kg), Sachin Sahravat (67 kg), Anil (72 kg), Aman (77 kg), Prince (82 kg), Sunil Kumar (87 kg), Nitesh (97 kg), Joginder Rathi (130 kg).
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