Budapest Ranking Series: Hansika Lamba wins silver, Rajat Ruhal claims bronze
Synopsis
Nineteen-year-old Hansika Lamba staged a stunning semifinal comeback — overturning a 7-2 deficit with four takedowns — only to be shut out 5-0 in the final by former junior European champion Nataliia Klivchutska. With Aman Sehrawat's gold and five medals in total, India's Budapest Ranking Series campaign signals a wrestling squad quietly building momentum ahead of the Asian Games.
Key Takeaways
Hansika Lamba won silver in the women's 55kg freestyle at the Budapest Ranking Series on 17 July , losing the final 5-0 to Ukraine's Nataliia Klivchutska .
Lamba, 19 , overturned a 7-2 deficit in the semifinal against Germany's Anastasia Blayvas with four takedowns to win 10-7 .
Rajat Ruhal claimed bronze in the men's 125kg after USA's Mason Parris withdrew due to injury.
Priyanshi Prajapat (women's 50kg) fell 4-2 to Ecuador's Jacqueline Mollocana in the bronze-medal bout after beating Pan-American champion Katie Gomez via pin.
Paris Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat had earlier won gold in the men's 57kg division.
India finished the tournament with a total of five medals .
Hansika Lamba claimed the silver medal in the women's 55kg freestyle event at the Budapest Ranking Series on 17 July, falling to Ukraine's Nataliia Klivchutska — a former junior European champion — by a decisive 5-0 scoreline in the final. India's overall medal tally at the tournament rose to five, underscoring a strong showing from the country's wrestling contingent in Budapest.
Hansika's Road to the Final
The 19-year-old Lamba opened her campaign with a commanding 8-4 victory over Turkiye's Tuba Demir in the quarter-finals. Her semifinal against Germany's Anastasia Blayvas was a study in resilience — trailing 7-2, Lamba executed four consecutive takedowns to overturn the deficit and seal a 10-7 win, earning her place in the gold-medal bout.
The final, however, belonged to Klivchutska, who controlled the contest from start to finish. Lamba could not replicate her comeback heroics against the more experienced Ukrainian.
Priyanshi Prajapat Falls Short in 50kg Bronze Bout
In the women's 50kg division, Priyanshi Prajapat came agonisingly close to a podium finish. She opened with a stunning pin over Pan-American champion Katie Gomez of the USA — coming from behind after Gomez took the early lead — before suffering a technical superiority (TSU) loss to eventual gold medallist Feng Ziqi of China, a Paris Olympic bronze medallist, in the quarter-finals.
With Ziqi advancing to the final, Prajapat re-entered the competition through repechage but lost her bronze-medal bout to Jacqueline Mollocana of Ecuador 4-2, finishing just off the podium.
Rajat Ruhal Secures Bronze in Men's 125kg
Rajat Ruhal, who is targeting the Asian Games, claimed the bronze medal in the men's 125kg category after his opponent, Mason Parris of the USA, conceded a walkover due to injury. Ruhal had earlier lost to Poland's Kamil Kościołek in the quarter-finals but bounced back strongly, defeating South Korea's Gwanuk Kim 8-4 in the repechage to earn his shot at the bronze.
Fellow Indian in the same division, Dinesh Dhankhar, bowed out at the quarter-final stage.
Other Indian Results
In the men's freestyle categories, Punit Kumar (92kg) and Olympian Deepak Punia (97kg) both exited after losing their opening bouts. Earlier in the tournament, Paris Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat had claimed gold in the men's 57kg division, while Deepak (men's 61kg) and Vishal Kaliramana (men's 65kg) each bagged bronze.
With the Budapest Ranking Series wrapped up, India's wrestlers will now turn their attention to upcoming international assignments, with Asian Games qualification a key priority for several members of the squad.
Point of View
At just 19, signals the kind of competitive temperament that medal programmes are built on. The real question is whether the federation can sustain this momentum structurally: Priyanshi Prajapat's narrow miss in the 50kg bronze bout and Deepak Punia's early exit in the 97kg show that the squad's depth is uneven. With Asian Games qualification on the line, the Budapest results will inform selection debates that matter far beyond a single ranking event.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Hansika Lamba win at the Budapest Ranking Series?
Hansika Lamba won the silver medal in the women's 55kg freestyle event at the Budapest Ranking Series on 17 July. She lost the final 5-0 to Ukraine's Nataliia Klivchutska, a former junior European champion.
How did Rajat Ruhal win his bronze medal in Budapest?
Rajat Ruhal claimed the bronze medal in the men's 125kg category after his opponent, Mason Parris of the USA, conceded a walkover due to injury. Ruhal had qualified for the bronze bout by defeating South Korea's Gwanuk Kim 8-4 in the repechage round.
How did Hansika Lamba reach the final at the Budapest Ranking Series?
Lamba beat Turkiye's Tuba Demir 8-4 in the quarter-finals and then staged a remarkable comeback against Germany's Anastasia Blayvas in the semi-finals, overturning a 7-2 deficit with four takedowns to win 10-7.
What is India's total medal tally at the Budapest Ranking Series?
India finished the Budapest Ranking Series with five medals in total. These include gold by Aman Sehrawat (men's 57kg), silver by Hansika Lamba (women's 55kg), and bronze medals by Deepak (men's 61kg), Vishal Kaliramana (men's 65kg), and Rajat Ruhal (men's 125kg).
How did Priyanshi Prajapat perform at the Budapest Ranking Series?
Priyanshi Prajapat competed in the women's 50kg division and defeated Pan-American champion Katie Gomez of the USA via a pin in the opening round. She lost to eventual gold medallist Feng Ziqi of China in the quarter-finals and then fell 4-2 to Ecuador's Jacqueline Mollocana in the repechage bronze-medal bout.
