Sujeet Falls Short in World Wrestling Championship Quarterfinals; Manisha Advances to Semifinals
Sujeet lost in the quarterfinals, while Manisha secured her spot in the semifinals at the World Wrestling Championship in Astana.
Astana, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : In Astana, on October 29, the World Wrestling Championship saw Asian champion Sujeet Kalakal narrowly lose in the men’s 65 kg freestyle quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Manisha secured her place in the semifinals of the women’s 69 kg category.
Sujeet faced off against Tajikistan’s Abdulmajid Kudiyev, losing 3-3 based on criteria. Interestingly, Sujeet had previously triumphed over Kudiyev at the Asian Games, coming back from a 2-9 deficit to win gold.
During the quarterfinal match, Sujeet initially held a 3-1 lead. He attempted to execute a takedown, but Kudiyev countered and managed to score a takedown of his own, leveling the score at 3-3. The criteria rules ultimately favored Kudiyev, declaring him the winner.
This match marked the third encounter between Sujeet and Kudiyev this year. Earlier, in the semifinals of the 2026 Asian Championship, Sujeet had defeated Kudiyev 7-2, later claiming the continental title.
In the 97 kg category, Vicky Hooda faced Japan’s Arash Yoshida in his quarterfinal bout, suffering a loss by technical superiority with a score of 2-12. Yoshida dominated the match, scoring through step-outs and takedowns, and maintained control throughout the bout.
Both Sujeet and Vicky still have a chance to advance through the repechage round, contingent on their quarterfinal opponents reaching the finals. Meanwhile, Manisha showcased her skills by defeating Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhud with a score of 6-0, effectively securing her place in the semifinals. She had previously won her quarterfinal match against Canada’s Lawrence Buregaurd, 6-2.
In the women’s 55 kg category, Ahilya Shinde began strong by defeating Cuba’s Yanelis Sanz Verdesia 8-1 but faced a setback in the quarterfinals, losing 6-9 to Turkey’s Tuba Demir. After trailing 3-0 in the second period, Demir made a remarkable comeback to secure her semifinal spot. In the closing moments, both wrestlers exchanged points, but Demir’s takedown sealed the win. If Demir reaches the finals, Ahilya still has a chance to compete for a bronze medal.
