Amruta Pujari wins silver at U-23 Wrestling Worlds in Las Vegas

Synopsis

Amruta Pujari's silver in Las Vegas takes India to three medals at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships — but the headline is as much about who wasn't there. Visa denials blocked Indian wrestlers from competing in nine weight categories, raising urgent questions about how the country supports its young athletes on the global circuit.

Key Takeaways

Amruta Pujari won silver in the women's 72 kg category at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas on 17 October .

She lost the gold-medal bout 0-6 to Ukraine's Iryna Zablotska after reaching the final via two pinfall wins and a semifinal pin of China's Wenjin Qiu .

Komal won bronze in the women's 59 kg division; Vishvajit More claimed India's first-ever Greco-Roman silver at the U-23 level in the 55 kg category.

India's total medal count at the Championships stands at three , with repechage bouts for Sweety (53 kg) and Vaishnavi Patil (65 kg) still to be decided.

India could not enter nine weight categories after athletes were reportedly denied US visas for being under-20 and lacking full-time employment.

Indian wrestler Amruta Pujari claimed a silver medal in the women's 72 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States, on Saturday, 17 October, capping a dominant run through the earlier rounds before falling in the gold-medal bout. The result lifts India's total medal tally at the tournament to three.

How Amruta Reached the Final

Pujari powered through the bracket with back-to-back pinfall victories, a mark of technical dominance at the Under-23 level. She sealed her place in the final by pinning Wenjin Qiu of China in the semifinal, setting up a summit clash against Ukraine's Iryna Zablotska.

The gold-medal bout, however, proved a step too far. Pujari went down 0-6 against Zablotska, who controlled the contest throughout. Despite the scoreline, the silver represents a significant milestone for the young Indian grappler on the global stage.

India's Full Medal Haul at the Championships

Pujari's silver is India's second podium finish in the women's wrestling draw. Komal had earlier opened the country's account in that discipline by winning bronze in the women's 59 kg division. Komal defeated Viktoriia Khusainova of Kazakhstan 7-2 in the bronze-medal bout after wins over Canada's Ella Marie Finding and Moldova's Madalina Prisacari (8-3). Her campaign had included a heavy 1-13 loss to Ukraine's Alina Filipovych in the earlier rounds, making her bronze-medal recovery all the more commendable.

India's third medal came from Vishvajit More, who made history by securing the country's first-ever silver medal in the Greco-Roman 55 kg event at the U-23 World Championships level.

Visa Denials Hit India's Squad Depth

Notably, India was unable to field wrestlers across several weight categories — including women's 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg and 62 kg, and Greco-Roman divisions of 60 kg, 77 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg and 130 kg — after athletes were reportedly denied US visas on the grounds of being under-20 and not holding full-time employment. The visa issue has drawn attention to a systemic barrier that could limit India's competitive presence at future international events.

With repechage bouts still to conclude, India's final tally at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas could yet rise beyond three medals.

Point of View

But India's U-23 wrestling story this week is defined as much by absence as achievement. The visa denials that locked out athletes from nine weight categories expose a structural flaw: young wrestlers who have not yet secured full-time employment — the very demographic that makes up an Under-23 squad — are disproportionately vulnerable to such bureaucratic barriers. Pujari's silver and More's historic Greco-Roman podium deserve full recognition, yet the medal tally could plausibly have been higher. Until the federation and government build a support framework that protects junior athletes' travel rights, India will keep leaving points on the table at exactly the tournaments designed to develop its next generation of world-beaters.

NationPress

17 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What medal did Amruta Pujari win at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships?

Amruta Pujari won a silver medal in the women's 72 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas on 17 October. She reached the final with two pinfall victories and a semifinal win over China's Wenjin Qiu before losing 0-6 to Ukraine's Iryna Zablotska in the gold-medal bout.

How many medals has India won at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships 2024?

India has won three medals so far — a silver by Amruta Pujari (women's 72 kg), a bronze by Komal (women's 59 kg), and a historic silver by Vishvajit More in the Greco-Roman 55 kg event. Sweety and Vaishnavi Patil are still in contention for bronze through repechage.

Why was India unable to compete in several weight categories at the Championships?

India was reportedly denied US visas for wrestlers in nine weight categories because the athletes were under-20 years of age and did not hold full-time jobs — criteria that disproportionately affect junior-level competitors. As a result, India could not field wrestlers in women's 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, and 62 kg, or in multiple Greco-Roman divisions.

Who is Vishvajit More and why is his medal historic?

Vishvajit More won a silver medal in the Greco-Roman 55 kg category at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships, making it India's first-ever silver in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Under-23 World level. The achievement marks a breakthrough for a style of wrestling that has historically been India's weakest discipline.

Which Indian wrestlers are still competing at the U-23 Worlds in Las Vegas?

Sweety (53 kg) and Vaishnavi Patil (65 kg) are still in contention for bronze medals through the repechage route. Sweety faces China's Xiaotong Zeng, while Vaishnavi takes on Japan's Haruka Kobaru for a spot in their respective bronze-medal bouts.