World Wrestling Championships: India's Greco-Roman squad leaves Astana without a medal
By Elena D’SouzaStartups & Innovation Correspondent, Peepals Global
Representative image: herbert2512 / Pixabay
India's 10 Greco-Roman wrestlers finished the 2026 World Championships in Astana without a medal; Lalit Sehrawat came fifth. Freestyle hopes rest on Sujeet Kalkal from Oct 29.
What Happened
India's Greco-Roman wrestlers have finished the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, without a medal. The championships began on Saturday, October 24, 2026, and the Greco-Roman events came first. Of India's 10 Greco-Roman wrestlers, only Lalit Sehrawat won a bout; he reached the 55kg bronze-medal match, lost it to Kazakhstan's Iskhar Kurbayev and finished fifth. India's medal hopes now rest on its freestyle and women's wrestlers, led by Sujeet Kalkal, who competes at 65kg on October 29.
Key Facts
- Event: the 2026 World Wrestling Championships, held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.
- India's Greco-Roman result: no medal from 10 wrestlers; nine of them did not win a single bout, according to reports from the venue.
- Best Indian finish: Lalit Sehrawat, fifth at 55kg, after losing the bronze-medal bout to Kazakhstan's Iskhar Kurbayev.
- Lalit's route: he lost 0-9 to Iran's Payam Ahmadi in his opening bout, then got a second chance through the repechage and beat Max Nowry of the United States 7-0 to reach the bronze match.
- Heavy defeats elsewhere: at 87kg, Asian Games bronze medallist Sunil Kumar lost 0-9 to Norway's Exauce Mukubu; at 130kg, Joginder Rathee lost 0-9 to Turkey's Riza Kayaalp; at 60kg, Harsh lost 0-9 to Kyrgyzstan's Kurmanbek Zhaparov.
- Next: Sujeet Kalkal wrestles in men's freestyle 65kg on October 29, with medal bouts on October 30.
- Absent: Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal chose not to compete at these championships.
Why It Matters
The World Championships are the biggest event in wrestling outside the Olympic Games, and results here shape seedings and confidence for the next Olympic cycle. Greco-Roman is the style in which wrestlers may not attack the legs or use their own legs to trip or lift an opponent. The Astana results show how far India's wrestlers in this style are from the world's best: Lalit's opening bout and three of the defeats listed below ended 0-9, with the Indian wrestler failing to score a single point.
A repechage is wrestling's second-chance round. Wrestlers who lose to either of the two finalists are brought back to fight for the bronze medals. Lalit's opening defeat came against an Iranian who went deep into the draw, which opened that route for him. He used it well against an experienced American, but fell one win short of the podium against a home wrestler.
The absence of established names matters too. With Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal skipping the event, India's freestyle and women's teams are younger and less proven than usual. That puts extra weight on Sujeet Kalkal, who previews describe as unbeaten in his bouts so far this year.
| Weight | Indian wrestler | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 55kg Greco-Roman | Lalit Sehrawat | Fifth; lost bronze bout to Iskhar Kurbayev (Kazakhstan) |
| 60kg Greco-Roman | Harsh | Lost 0-9 to Kurmanbek Zhaparov (Kyrgyzstan) |
| 87kg Greco-Roman | Sunil Kumar | Lost 0-9 to Exauce Mukubu (Norway) |
| 130kg Greco-Roman | Joginder Rathee | Lost 0-9 to Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) |
Impact
Short-term: The focus shifts to the freestyle and women's competitions in the second half of the championships. A podium finish by Sujeet Kalkal at 65kg would rescue the trip.
Long-term: The Greco-Roman results add to the case for deeper investment in the style, including more international exposure for junior wrestlers and specialist coaching, if India wants to compete for medals in all three styles at the 2028 Olympics.
Who is affected: India's Greco-Roman wrestlers and coaches, the national federation that picks and prepares the team, and Indian fans following the freestyle events from October 29.
Key Takeaway
India's Greco-Roman squad left the 2026 World Championships with no medal and just one wrestler, Lalit Sehrawat, winning a bout, leaving the country's hopes in Astana to its freestyle and women's teams.
Questions and Answers
Did India win a medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2026 World Championships?
No. India's 10 Greco-Roman wrestlers left Astana without a medal. Lalit Sehrawat came closest, finishing fifth at 55kg after losing the bronze-medal bout to Kazakhstan's Iskhar Kurbayev.
What is the difference between Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling?
In Greco-Roman wrestling, competitors may not attack below the waist or use their legs to trip or lift an opponent. Freestyle allows holds on the legs.
When does Sujeet Kalkal compete at the World Wrestling Championships?
Sujeet Kalkal wrestles in men's freestyle 65kg on October 29, 2026, with the medal bouts scheduled for October 30. The championships end on November 1.
Why are Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal not in Astana?
Both chose not to compete at these World Championships, according to reports on India's squad, so India's freestyle and women's teams are less experienced than usual.
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 Elena D’Souza, Startups & Innovation CorrespondentCovers Start-ups & Opportunities and more for Peepals Global. All stories by Elena D’Souza
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Elena D’Souza is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
