While the gold medal remained just out of reach, Siwach’s performance stood as the highlight of a challenging day for the Indian contingent. Competing in the final against Japan’s Yuri Nakazato, the Indian wrestler was unable to overcome the home favourite, eventually falling to a 0-4 defeat. On the women's side,
A Tactical Battle in the Final
In the gold-medal bout, Siwach attempted to dictate the pace early by establishing a two-on-one grip, but Nakazato remained disciplined, neutralising the Indian's attacking intent. The Japanese wrestler broke the deadlock by pushing Siwach out of bounds and subsequently forcing him into a ground position due to passivity.
Although Siwach defended resolutely to prevent a gut wrench, Nakazato carried a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, the Japanese wrestler extended his advantage by destabilising Siwach with a push before securing a takedown to move 4-0 ahead. Despite a late push for points, Siwach found no way through Nakazato’s defensive structure. Reflecting on the result, Siwach admitted he could have performed better but expressed his intent to focus on upcoming World Championships and the 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
Mansi Ahlawat Falls Short in Bronze Bout
Mansi Ahlawat’s pursuit of a bronze medal in the 62kg category proved to be a tense affair. After falling behind 0-2 early against Altjin, the Indian wrestler fought back, capitalising on her opponent's passivity to get on the scoreboard. Despite a late surge and a successful push-out, Ahlawat was unable to overcome the Mongolian’s strength, with Altjin securing a final takedown to seal the victory.
The day also saw other Indian wrestlers exit the competition. In the 60kg and 77kg categories, Sumit and Aman Baroniya were eliminated after losing their respective quarterfinal bouts. While Baroniya had shown promise with an 8-6 comeback win against Mongolia's Borgil Tuvshinbaatar, he was unable to progress further. The results leave the Indian squad looking toward future international events to build on the progress made during this campaign.
