Neelam Sirohi, Kajal Dhochak win silver at World Wrestling Championships
By Rohan SalujaGeopolitics Editor, Peepals Global
Representative image: AxxLC / Pixabay
Neelam Sirohi (50kg) and Kajal Dhochak (76kg) won silver at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana after losing their finals on October 28, 2026.
What Happened
Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak both won silver medals at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, after losing their finals on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Neelam lost the women's freestyle 50kg final to Japan's four-time world champion Yui Susaki, and Kajal went down 6-8 to Ukraine's European champion Anastasiya Alpyeyeva in the 76kg final. The two had already made history a day earlier as the first Indian women to reach world championship finals at the same edition.
Key Facts
- Neelam Sirohi, women's freestyle 50kg: silver, after losing the final to Yui Susaki of Japan; one report said the bout ended by fall.
- Kajal Dhochak, women's freestyle 76kg: silver, after a 6-8 defeat to Anastasiya Alpyeyeva of Ukraine.
- Finals held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Barys Arena in Astana.
- Neelam opened with a 6-0 win over Belarus's Natallia Varakina, reached the semi-finals after top seed Elizaveta Smirnova of Russia withdrew injured, then beat Kazakhstan's Zeinep Bayanova 7-3.
- Kajal beat Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy 10-7 in her semi-final after trailing 1-7.
- Before this edition, Anshu Malik was the only Indian woman to have reached a world championship final, reports noted.
Why It Matters
World championship medals are among the hardest to win in wrestling, a sport in which India has a strong Olympic record but where women's world finals have been rare. Two silver medals in one edition, from two different weight classes, is a sign of depth in Indian women's wrestling rather than a single standout performer.
The finals also showed the gap that remains at the very top. Yui Susaki is one of the most decorated wrestlers of her generation, a four-time world champion, and beating her is a challenge few in the world have managed. Kajal's final against a reigning European champion was far closer, decided by two points. For coaches, that suggests the 76kg category, where Kajal came back from a 1-7 deficit in her semi-final, is one where India is now genuinely competitive. Kajal's rise has been quick: she won gold at the Under-20 World Championships in August 2025, and a senior world final little more than a year later shows how junior success can carry into the senior level when athletes get regular international competition.
The medals come with a wider context. India's Greco-Roman team left Astana without a medal earlier in the championships, so the women's freestyle results carry much of India's hopes at this edition. The tournament runs until November 1, with men's freestyle events still to come.
For young wrestlers, two Indian women standing on a world championship podium in the same week is a powerful example. It also strengthens the case for continued investment in women's training camps, international exposure and coaching ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
| Wrestler | Weight | Final opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neelam Sirohi | 50kg | Yui Susaki (Japan) | Silver |
| Kajal Dhochak | 76kg | Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine) | Silver, lost 6-8 |
Impact
Short-term: India now has two medals from the women's freestyle competition in Astana, with men's freestyle events still to be completed before the championships end on November 1.
Long-term: Results at the world championships affect seeding and rankings, which shape draws at future major events. Two finalists in one year give Indian women's wrestling a stronger base for the next Olympic qualification cycle.
Who is affected: Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak and their coaches; the Wrestling Federation of India; young women wrestlers and training centres across India; and fans following India's Olympic sports.
Key Takeaway
Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak won silver at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana on October 28, 2026, the first time two Indian women reached world finals at the same edition.
Questions and Answers
Did Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak win gold at the World Wrestling Championships?
No. Both won silver after losing their finals on October 28, 2026: Neelam to Japan's Yui Susaki at 50kg and Kajal 6-8 to Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpyeyeva at 76kg.
Why are these medals significant?
It is the first time two Indian women reached world championship finals at the same edition. Before this, Anshu Malik was the only Indian woman to have reached a world final, reports noted.
Who is Yui Susaki?
She is a Japanese wrestler and four-time world champion in the women's 50kg category.
When do the 2026 World Wrestling Championships end?
The championships in Astana run from October 24 to November 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Rohan Saluja, Geopolitics EditorCovers Geopolitics and more for Peepals Global. All stories by Rohan Saluja
Get the day's stories in your inbox
Peepals Weekly: the week decoded, free. One email a week, unsubscribe in one click.
Rohan Saluja is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
