THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, MAY 27, 2026

India’s men’s freestyle wrestling team scripted history by emerging as the undisputed champions at the U23 Asian Wrestling Championships in Da Nang, Vietnam, clinching the coveted Team Championship Trophy with a commanding first-place finish. Displaying remarkable dominance on the continental stage, India topped the freestyle standings ahead of traditional wrestling powerhouses Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which secured second and third positions respectively.

The landmark freestyle triumph capped a sensational overall campaign for the Indian contingent, which concluded the championships with an extraordinary tally of 27 medals — including eleven gold, seven silver, and nine bronze — across Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling, and Greco-Roman disciplines, underlining the country’s growing supremacy in Asian wrestling.

The championship-winning freestyle squad wrapped up its memorable campaign with nine medals, comprising four gold, three silver, and two bronze. Akshay T Dhere (57kg) and Vicky (97kg) laid the foundation for India’s dominance with scintillating gold-medal performances, while Kumar Mohit (65kg) and Chandermohan (79kg) carried the momentum forward by finishing atop the podium in their respective categories. Deepak Rathi (61kg), Punit Kumar (92kg), and Lacky (125kg) strengthened India’s march to the team title with gritty silver-medal efforts, while Deepak Berwal (74kg) and Mor Sachin (82kg) added crucial bronze medals to complete the stellar freestyle campaign.

"Lifting the U23 Asian Championship Trophy is a monumental achievement for Indian wrestling and a moment of immense pride for the entire country. Our freestyle grapplers have shown unparalleled determination and technical superiority to finish ahead of top wrestling nations like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan," said Sanjay Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India. "Across all three styles, our athletes have proven that the future of Indian wrestling is incredibly bright. I extend my heartiest congratulations to all our medal winners, coaches, and support staff for making this historic triumph possible."

India’s women wrestlers were equally exceptional throughout the tournament, delivering a dominant performance to secure ten medals. The women’s contingent brought home an impressive six gold medals, with Muskan (53kg), Tapasya (57kg), Bhagyashree (62kg), Pulkit (67kg), Mansi (68kg), and Kajal (76kg) showcasing their technical brilliance and composure in their respective title bouts. Neha (59kg) and Sweety (50kg) fought valiantly to claim silver medals, while Amruta (72kg) and Ahilya (55kg) added bronze medals to India’s glittering tally.

In the Greco-Roman category, Indian wrestlers laid a solid foundation early in the tournament by winning eight medals. Sumit spearheaded the challenge with a spectacular gold medal in the 63kg division, while Suraj (60kg) and Sagar Singh (67kg) secured commendable silver medals. Neeraj Patel (55kg), Sachin (77kg), Rohit Bura (87kg), Rohit (97kg), and Hardeep (130kg) further strengthened India’s campaign with hard-earned bronze-medal finishes.

With the highly successful conclusion of the U23 competition, attention will now turn to the sub-junior contingent as the U17 Asian Wrestling Championships are scheduled to commence tomorrow at the same venue in Da Nang, with the opening bouts beginning from 10 AM onwards.