Indian wrestler Deepak Punia secured a bronze medal in the men's 97kg category at the Asian Games, defeating Mongolia's Gankhuyang Ganbataar. This marks his second Asian Games medal, following a silver in 2023, and adds to his impressive international record including a 2019 World Championships silver.
Deepak Punia's move to a higher weight category proved successful as he secured a spot in the Indian team for the Asian Games in the 97kg division. Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal retained their places in the men's freestyle squad.
Former World Championships silver medallist Deepak Punia secured his place in the Indian team for the Asian Games after winning the 97kg freestyle competition at the selection trials. Other winners included Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal.
Asian Games silver medallist Deepak Punia showcased his dominance at the National Open Ranking Tournament, reaching the 92kg final without conceding a point. The event faced logistical challenges due to high participation, with weigh-ins delayed and medal rounds postponed.
Asian Games silver medallist Deepak Punia discusses the impact of the wrestlers' protest on his career and his aspirations for the upcoming Asian Games.
After a disappointing 2024 season, the senior Asian Championships will provide an opportunity for Indian wrestlers like Antim Panghal and Deepak Punia to make a fresh start.
Wrestler Deepak Punia's foreign coach Murad Gaidarov was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics on Friday for assaulting the referee who officiated the bronze medal play-off bout which the Indian lost to San Marino's Myles Nazim Amine.
'We will give him a grand welcome on his return'
Wrestlers have the opportunity to win more quota places at the Asian qualifiers and World Qualifiers this year.
World Championship silver medallist wrestler Deepak Punia has jumped to World No 1 position in the 86kg but Bajrang Punia lost the top rank in the 65kg category in the latest rankings.
They have been moved to a SAI empanelled hospital as a precautionary measure for further monitoring.
World silver winner Deepak Punia, making a transition from junior to senior circuit, and Rahul Aware, who won a bronze in Nur Sultan, are deserving candidates for the Arjuna Award.
Indian wrestlers secured a six-medal haul, including two golds, at the Asian Games in Nagoya, overcoming injuries and form slumps. Gold medallists Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal, along with silver winners Nitesh Siwach and Antim Panghal, and bronze medallists Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar, are now setting their sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, expressing determination to bring home more glory.
Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal have secured their spots in the men's 57kg and women's 53kg finals, respectively, at the Asian Games in Nagoya. Both wrestlers, who previously won bronze at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, are now poised to compete for gold.
He will now clash with Switzerland's Stefan Reichmuth for a place in the gold medal match.
India's wrestling campaign at the Asian Games will be spearheaded by Sujeet Kalkal, Antim Panghal, and Aman Sehrawat, all of whom face challenging draws. Sujeet is in red-hot form but could meet Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka, while Antim Panghal eyes a strong performance against Zhang Jin. Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat also has a tough path, potentially facing another Olympic medallist early on. The wider Indian contingent also features medal hopefuls across freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman categories.
The Pro Wrestling League (PWL) is set to kick off its sixth season from January 9 to 26 next year in New Delhi, featuring 86 grapplers, including 34 international medallists. Six franchises will compete across Olympic weight categories, with Indian Asian Games medallists and Japanese Olympic champion Yui Susaki among the participants.
Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the men's 57kg gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating North Korea's world champion Chong Song Han in the final.
Asian Games gold medalist wrestler Sujeet Kalkal's father, Dayanand, shared insights into his son's remarkable journey, highlighting his transition from football to wrestling, his academic excellence as a non-medical science topper, and his recent triumph at the Asian Games.
Indian wrestling coach Virender Dahiya and wrestler Antim Panghal have expressed strong confidence in the national team's preparation and potential for the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Dahiya believes the team will significantly improve on its previous medal tally, while Panghal highlights the strong team cohesion and gold medal aspirations. The squad features a mix of experienced and young talent, aiming to overcome strong regional competitors.
Aman, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Games last year, was found overweight by 1.7kg during the weigh-in ahead of the men's freestyle 57kg competition.
World Championships medallists Deepak Punia and Antim Panghal were among 30 Indian wrestlers selected for the Senior Asian Championships to be held in Amman, Jordan from March 25-30.
India's Deepak Punia and Udit reached the final of the 92 and 61 categories, respectively, at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Sunday.
Indian wrestlers return with six medals
Haryana showcased its wrestling prowess by sweeping all three overall team titles men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling at the U-23 National Wrestling Championships held in Rohtak. The host state secured top honours with significant points, while Services Sports Control Board and Maharashtra also performed strongly, with individual athletes from various states claiming gold medals across different weight categories.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group has been updated with the inclusion of rising stars like Samrat Rana and Gulveer Singh, while some established athletes have been dropped due to performance issues.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group has been updated, with rising stars like Samrat Rana and Gulveer Singh joining, while underperforming athletes such as H.S. Prannoy and Deepak Punia have been dropped.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to allow Vinesh Phogat to compete in the Asian Games selection trials only in the 50kg category, leading to a potential flashpoint. This decision follows a period of uncertainty regarding her preferred weight division and has sparked controversy within the wrestling community.
India's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has provisionally suspended 24 athletes across various sports, including cricketer Bhupen Lalwani, weightlifter Ajith Narayana, wrestler Sahil Jaglan, and national record holder runner KM Deeksha, for failing dope tests. The suspensions highlight ongoing challenges with doping in Indian sports.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh highlighted the significant participation of Haryana wrestlers in the National Open Ranking Tournament, countering claims of bias. However, the event was also marred by the discovery of used syringes, underscoring the ongoing doping challenges in Indian wrestling.
Wrestling Federation of India President Sanjay Singh addressed allegations of bias against Haryana wrestlers and acknowledged ongoing doping concerns after used syringes were found at the National Open Ranking Tournament.
Olympian Deepak Punia skipped the national trials, in Patiala on Saturday.
Vijay Amritraj gets Padma Bhushan; Rohit Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur receive Padma Shri
Deepak usually stuns his rivals with his speed and agility but Dauletbekov was up for the task and smartly foiled the Indian's leg attacks by maintaining distance.
Deepak Punia becomes World Champion wrestler, bronze for Viky
India record best-ever show at World Wrestling Championships with five medals
Such was Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang's dominance in the 65kg competition that he won three of his four bouts inside first rounds.
Punia is planning to skip the trials for the World Championships on August 25 and 26 and instead wants to train at a foreign location to prepare for the Asian Games
Ravi Kumar Dahiya became only the second Indian wrestler to win a silver medal at the Olympics after losing in the men's Freestyle 57kg title round 4-7 to reigning World champion Zavur Uguev, in Chiba, Japan, on Thursday.
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Wednesday amid speculation that the two star grapplers could be fielded in the Haryana assembly polls by the party.
