Kajal Dhochak Confident of Olympic Qualification After Silver at World Wrestling Championship

New Delhi, November 1 (Daily Kiran) : Rising Indian wrestler Kajal Dhochak, just 18 years old, is brimming with confidence after securing a silver medal at the World Wrestling Championship held in Kazakhstan. Following her remarkable performance, she is optimistic about qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In the finals of the 76 kg weight category, Kajal faced off against Ukraine’s Anastasia Alpiyeva, a two-time European champion. This was Kajal’s debut at the senior level after winning two under-20 world titles. Despite a fierce contest, she lost the match 6-8, settling for silver.

During a media roundtable on Sunday, Kajal expressed her belief in her ability to qualify for the Olympics. “My weight category is included in the Olympics, and the qualification events are coming up next year. Based on my performance at the World Championship, I am 100 percent confident I will qualify. I have defeated many of the wrestlers I faced there before, including the one in the finals,” she stated.

Reflecting on her final match against Alpiyeva, Kajal noted that she had taken the lead twice but ultimately lost points. She regretted adopting a defensive strategy in the closing moments of the match. “I was almost winning. If I had played aggressively instead of defensively at the end, the gold would have been mine,” she said.

The match was tightly contested, with the score tied at 2-2 in the second round. Alpiyeva executed a double-leg takedown, but Kajal quickly countered with her own takedown. However, Alpiyeva managed to score again, and with just six seconds left, Kajal took a four-point lead. Unfortunately, time ran out before she could secure the winning move.

Kajal acknowledged the need to work on her defensive techniques. “My coach has emphasized that we need to focus on defense. We must maintain the attacking style we start with until the very end,” she explained.

This silver medal marks a significant comeback for Kajal after a dramatic exit during the Asian Games trials in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She recalled the moment she thought she had secured her spot at the Games, only to have the match turn against her at the last second. “It took me some time to process what I had lost. Everyone works hard for this; it only comes once every four years. But I trained for the World Championship and won a medal,” she reflected.

Kajal, a two-time under-20 world champion in both the 72 kg and 76 kg categories, is not slowing down. She is preparing for the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship trials, the Senior National Championship, and the Pro Wrestling League (PWL). “With everything happening in wrestling, what’s the point of taking a break? I will participate in the upcoming Commonwealth trials, followed by the Senior National Championship, then the PWL, and then the Senior Asian ranking events,” she concluded.