World Wrestling Championships 2026: Kajal Dhochak, Neelam Sirohi win historic silvers; join Anshu Malik in elite list
(Courtesy : WFI)
Their defeat in the final extended India’s wait for a gold in women’s wrestling
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Indian wrestlers Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi concluded their historic run at the World Wrestling Championships 2026 on Wednesday, returning with two silver medals after their respective final bouts.
In the 76kg title clash, 18-year-old Kajal went up against Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva. Making her senior World Championships debut after securing two U20 world titles, Kajal put up a fierce fight but lost the closely contested bout 6-8 to finish with a silver medal.
Taking the mat in the 50kg final, 26-year-old Neelam faced a formidable challenge against Japan’s four-time world champion Yui Susaki. She lost by fall after trailing 0-5.
The podium finishes marked a new milestone for Indian wrestling, as it was the first time two Indian women competed in the finals at the same edition of the World Championships.
Their medals add to the breakthrough made by Anshu Malik, who became the first Indian woman to reach a World Championships final in 2021.
Kajal had earlier shown tremendous resilience in her path to the final, notably recovering from a 1-7 deficit to defeat Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy 10-7 in the semifinals.
Neelam similarly displayed great composure throughout the tournament, securing her final berth with a comfortable 7-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Zeinep Bayanova.
Elsewhere, Rajnita’s campaign in the 65kg category came to an end in the repechage round. She went down 2-6 to Japan’s Nana Ikehata, missing out on the opportunity to progress to the bronze medal match.
Tomorrow will see the concluding matches for Women’s Wrestling, with the final two weight classes 55kg and 59kg remaining.
How many medals has India won so far at the World Wrestling Championships 2026?
India has won two medals so far in the competition—Kajal Dhochak silver in women’s 76kg and Neelam Sirohi silver in women’s 50kg.
What medal did Kajal Dhochak win at World Wrestling Championships 2026?
Kajal won silver in the women’s 76kg category after going down 6-8 to Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva in the gold medal bout.
What medal did Neelam Sirohi win at World Wrestling Championships 2026?
Neelam also settled a silver medal after losing the final in women’s 50kg division by pinfall to the legendary Yui Susaki of Japan.
How many medals has India won at the World Wrestling Championships?
India has now won 26 medals at the World Championships, with 1 gold, 7 silvers and 18 bronzes.
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