India's pursuit of a rare Greco-Roman medal at the World Championships ended in disappointment on Sunday as Lalit was defeated in his bronze medal play-off. Competing against Kazakhstan’s
The match concluded quickly after Kurbayev executed a four-point maneuver followed by a lift, effectively ending the contest. Lalit had secured his place in the medal round earlier in the day by delivering a dominant 7-0 victory over American wrestler Max Emiliano Nowry during the repechage session.
Mixed Results for Indian Contingent
While Lalit reached the final stages of the competition, the remainder of the Indian squad faced a difficult day on the mat, with three other wrestlers exiting the tournament following their opening bouts. Among those eliminated was Asian Games silver medallist Nitesh Siwach, who competed in the 97kg category.
Siwach struggled against Germany's Anton Vieweg, who controlled the match by executing a four-point throw in both periods to secure a win by technical superiority. In the 72kg division, Karanjit faced a narrow 2-3 loss against Japan’s Rintaro Sogabe. Despite securing a favourable 'par terre' position, Karanjit could not convert the opportunity into points, allowing Sogabe to capitalise on a counter-attack to clinch the victory.
The 130kg category saw Joginder Rathee face a formidable challenge against Turkish wrestling veteran and reigning European champion Riza Kayaalp. The Turkish athlete dominated the encounter, stringing together three consecutive exposure moves before sealing the win with a gut wrench. The performance marked a significant return to the world stage for Kayaalp after a three-year absence. India remains looking for its first Greco-Roman World Championship medal since Sandeep Tulsi Yadav achieved a bronze in 2013.
