India’s wrestling contingent delivered its most impressive Asian Games performance in more than 60 years at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games. The team secured a total of six medals, comprising two gold, two silver, and two bronze, marking the country's most successful outing in the sport since the 1962 Jakarta Games.
The campaign was anchored by freestyle specialists
Aman and Sujeet Lead Golden Charge
Aman Sehrawat, already an Olympic bronze medallist, secured the men's 57kg freestyle gold in a dramatic final against reigning world champion Han Chong Song of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Despite falling behind 7-6 after an early lead, Aman executed a decisive four-point maneuver to swing the momentum. An unsuccessful challenge from his opponent’s corner ultimately confirmed an 11-7 victory for the Indian grappler.
Aman’s path to the final included a dominant 20-9 technical superiority win over Japan’s Yamato Ogawa and a 12-1 quarter-final victory against Kazakhstan’s Nurdanat Aitanov. He also demonstrated resilience in the semi-finals, overcoming a 6-2 deficit to defeat Tajikistan’s Aiaal Belolyubskii 14-8. This gold followed Sujeet Kalkal’s success in the men's 65kg freestyle category, which had provided India with its first wrestling title of the tournament earlier in the week.
Podium Success Across Disciplines
The silver medals were earned by Antim Panghal in the women’s 53kg division and Nitesh Siwach in the Greco-Roman 97kg category. Panghal, who previously secured bronze at the Hangzhou Games, navigated a challenging bracket that included a victory over China’s Zhang Jin before falling to Japan’s Moe Kiyooka in the final. Meanwhile, Deepak Punia added to his international resume by claiming bronze in the men’s 97kg freestyle, defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the medal bout.
Sunil Kumar rounded out the medal tally with a bronze in the Greco-Roman 87kg category, ensuring India maintained a presence on the podium across both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines. While several other athletes, including Sagar Jaglan and Manisha Bhanwala, faced narrow defeats against world-class opposition, the overall performance at Aichi-Nagoya stands as a historic benchmark. The six-medal haul surpassed recent efforts and solidified the current squad's standing as a formidable force in Asian wrestling.
