Nitesh Siwach storms into Asian Games Greco-Roman final, ends India's 64-year wait
Synopsis
For the first time since 1962, an Indian wrestler is in the Greco-Roman final at the Asian Games. Nitesh Siwach's ruthless 9-0 semifinal demolition has put him one win away from matching Ganpat Andalkar's legendary gold — a moment 64 years in the making.
Key Takeaways
Nitesh Siwach beat Ganbaataryn Gankhuyag of Mongolia 9-0 (TSU) to reach the Greco-Roman 97kg final at the Asian Games, Nagoya .
He is the first Indian to reach an Asiad Greco-Roman final since 1962 , ending a 64-year drought.
Nitesh will face Yuri Nakazato of Japan in the gold medal bout on 1 October .
Mansi will fight for bronze against Mongolia's Altjin Togtokh after losing her semifinal 0-6 to Japan's Nonoka Ozaki .
Sunil Kumar had already won a Greco-Roman 87kg bronze for India at these Games on Wednesday.
Sumit and Aman both lost their quarterfinals and will not feature in repechage bouts.
Nitesh Siwach has stormed into the gold medal bout of the Greco-Roman 97kg category at the Asian Games in Nagoya, becoming the first Indian wrestler to reach the Asiad final in this discipline since 1962 — ending a 64-year wait. He sealed his place with a dominant 9-0 technical superiority win over Mongolia's Ganbaataryn Gankhuyag in the semifinal at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center on Thursday, 1 October.
Historic Final Awaits Nitesh
Nitesh will face Yuri Nakazato of Japan in the gold medal clash later in the day. Should he prevail, he will become only the second Indian ever to win an Asiad gold in Greco-Roman wrestling, following the legendary Ganpat Andalkar, who claimed the title at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Andalkar remains the only Indian to have won a Greco-Roman gold at the Asian Games in the 64 years since.
Nitesh, the 2026 Asian Championships silver medallist, was clinical in the semifinal. He kept the Hangzhou 2023 bronze medallist Gankhuyag scoreless throughout, racing to the 9-0 TSU victory. Earlier in the quarterfinal, he had beaten Amanberdi Agamammedov of Turkmenistan 7-1.
Mansi in Bronze Medal Fight
In the women's category, Mansi will compete for bronze after losing her semifinal 0-6 to Japan's Nonoka Ozaki — the Paris Olympics bronze medallist and reigning Hangzhou Asiad champion. Mansi will take on Mongolia's Altjin Togtokh in the bronze medal bout later on Thursday.
Mansi had impressed on her way to the semis: she opened with a 6-1 victory over Irina Kuznetsova in the pre-quarters, followed by a 5-0 win over Jo Su-been of South Korea in the quarterfinal.
Setbacks for Sumit and Aman
Not all went India's way on Thursday. Sumit bowed out in the Greco-Roman 60kg quarterfinal, losing to Sajjad Abbaspourragani of Iran via VPO1 in a 1-1 contest. Aman suffered a heavier quarterfinal defeat, going down 0-9 to Shahin Badaghimofrad of Qatar in the Greco-Roman 77kg. He had earlier won his pre-quarters bout 8-6 against Borgil Tuvshinbaatar of Mongolia.
Crucially, neither Sumit nor Aman will be eligible for a bronze through repechage, as their respective opponents failed to advance to the final.
India's Greco-Roman Medal Tally at Nagoya
India had already secured a Greco-Roman wrestling medal at these Games when Sunil Kumar claimed bronze in the men's 87kg event on Wednesday. With Nitesh in the gold medal match and Mansi in the bronze bout, India's Greco-Roman haul at Aichi-Nagoya could grow significantly before the day is out.
Point of View
Or whether it remains an individual achievement swallowed by the system.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nitesh Siwach and why is his Asian Games final historic?
Nitesh Siwach is an Indian Greco-Roman wrestler and the 2026 Asian Championships silver medallist. His place in the Asian Games 97kg final is historic because he is the first Indian to reach an Asiad Greco-Roman final since 1962 — a gap of 64 years.
Who does Nitesh Siwach face in the Asian Games Greco-Roman gold medal match?
Nitesh will face Yuri Nakazato of Japan in the gold medal bout at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Center on 1 October 2026. A win would make Nitesh the first Indian to claim an Asiad Greco-Roman gold since Ganpat Andalkar in 1962.
Who was the last Indian to win Greco-Roman gold at the Asian Games?
Ganpat Andalkar won the Greco-Roman wrestling gold at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. He remains the only Indian to have won this title at the Asian Games, making the 64-year gap one of the longest waits in Indian sports history.
Why is Mansi competing in the bronze medal match instead of the final?
Mansi lost her semifinal 0-6 to Japan's Nonoka Ozaki, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist and Hangzhou 2023 Asiad champion, which placed her in the bronze medal bout against Mongolia's Altjin Togtokh on 1 October.
How many Greco-Roman wrestling medals has India won at the 2026 Asian Games?
India has already secured one Greco-Roman medal at these Games — a bronze by Sunil Kumar in the men's 87kg on Wednesday. With Nitesh in the gold medal match and Mansi in the bronze bout, India could add up to two more medals on 1 October.
