Sujeet Kalkal triumphs in 65kg at wrestling trials

Sujeet Kalkal won the 65kg freestyle title at the national wrestling selection trials in Lucknow. Yash, Sachin and Abhimanyu also secured victories in their respective categories, setting up a final trial showdown with the Asian Games-bound contingent for World Championships berths

Hyderabad: World No. 1 grappler Sujeet Kalkal emerged victorious in the 65kg freestyle category at the national selection trials on Tuesday.

Alongside Kalkal, standout performers including Yash, Sachin and Abhimanyu also secured top finishes in their respective weight divisions, setting up a final trial showdown with the Asian Games-bound contingent for berths at the Senior World Wrestling Championships 2026, which will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.

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Sujeet Kalkal prevailed in a competitive 65kg field in Lucknow, beating Anujj Kumar 8-3 in the final. The trials in the four non-Olympic weight classes will also be held later.

In other freestyle action, Yash produced a dominant performance to claim the 74kg title, defeating Deepak 10-4. Rahul secured the top spot in the 57kg category with an 11-4 win over Akshay Dhere, while Pushpendar Dalal prevailed over Himanshu Antil 10-4 in the 86kg final.

Vicky edged past Parveen Kumar 3-2 in a tight 97kg bout, while Jaspooran Singh defeated Rohit 5-1 to win the 125kg division.

WFI President Sanjay Singh said, “Today’s trials in Lucknow proved just how competitive men’s wrestling has become in India. The sheer effort and technical skill displayed by the athletes assure us that our reserve bench is stronger than ever. I congratulate today’s top performers and expect them to carry this same momentum forward.”

In the Greco-Roman discipline, Harsh delivered a commanding 9-0 victory over Lalit to win the 60kg category. Sachin edged Karanjit Singh 6-5 in a thrilling 67kg final, while Luvpreet Singh overcame Vikas 10-8 in the 77kg division.

Rohit defeated Rohit Bura 5-2 in the 87kg category, Abhimanyu secured a 12-3 win over Virensh Kundu in the 97kg class, and Joginder emerged victorious by fall against Gursewak in the 130kg final.