India win 4 gold, 20 medals at U20 Asian Wrestling C'ships in Pattaya
Synopsis
India's junior wrestlers defied expectations at the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya, racking up 20 medals including 4 gold. The women's squad was the standout — finishing just 5 points behind China with a 90% podium conversion rate and outpacing Japan by 42 points, signalling a generational depth that India's senior programme will be watching closely.
Key Takeaways
India won 20 medals (4 gold, 7 silver, 9 bronze) at the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya, Thailand on 6 July .
The Women's Wrestling team finished 2nd with 184 points , just behind champions China (189) and 42 points ahead of Japan.
The women's squad posted a 90% podium conversion rate — 9 out of 10 wrestlers medalled.
Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar won India's lone men's freestyle gold in the 70kg category, beating Kazakhstan's Sungkar Seidakhmet 13-7 .
India's Men's Freestyle team ranked 3rd with 152 points , behind Kazakhstan and Iran.
The Indian contingent also won 21 medals at the U15 Asian Wrestling Championships at the same venue.
Indian wrestlers wrapped up their campaign at the Under-20 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya, Thailand on 6 July with a haul of 20 medals — 4 gold, 7 silver, and 9 bronze — across all three disciplines of Women's Wrestling, Men's Freestyle, and Greco-Roman. The performance cemented India's standing as a continental force at the junior level.
Team Standings and Overall Performance
India's Women's Wrestling team finished second in the team rankings with 184 points, narrowly behind champions China (189 points) and well clear of third-placed Japan (142 points) — a margin of 42 points. The women's squad achieved a remarkable 90 per cent podium conversion rate, with 9 out of 10 grapplers securing medals. The Men's Freestyle team finished third with 152 points, behind winners Kazakhstan (170 points) and runners-up Iran (164 points).
Women's Wrestling: Gold Medals and Key Wins
Parveen (50kg), Muskan (53kg), and Kajal (76kg) led the charge with gold medals in their respective weight categories. Parveen defeated Uzbekistan's Shokhista Shonazarova by a dominant 13-2 scoreline, while Muskan edged past Japan's Mai Ogawa in a tense 6-5 points battle. Kajal shut out Japan's Mahiru Fujita with a clinical 5-0 victory.
Manya Rajput (57kg), Savita (62kg), and Manisha (72kg) settled for silver medals after losing their finals to Chinese opponents. Bronze medals were claimed by Kajal (55kg), who secured a fall victory over Uzbekistan's Sakibjamal Esbosynova; Komal (59kg), who blanked Kyrgyzstan's Akylai Chynybaeva 12-0 via technical superiority; and Mansi Lather (65kg), who defeated Korea's Yeonwoo Song 13-2.
Men's Freestyle: Sumit Kumar Leads the Way
Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar delivered India's sole men's freestyle gold, prevailing 13-7 in a high-scoring 70kg final against Kazakhstan's Sungkar Seidakhmet. Pushp (61kg), Saurabh Yadav (79kg), and Ronak (125kg) each took silver after falling short in their respective finals. Bronze medals were added by Rohit (57kg), Adarsh Yuvraj Patil (74kg), and Lacky (97kg), all of whom won their playoff bouts convincingly.
Greco-Roman: Silvers and Bronzes
In the Greco-Roman discipline, Akshay Rana claimed silver in the 97kg category after going down 0-8 to Iran's Amirsam Behnam Mohammadi in the final. Neeraj Patel (55kg), Anuj (67kg), and Dheeraj Kumar Malik (67kg) secured bronze medals by winning their respective playoff bouts on points.
WFI President's Reaction and What Comes Next
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Kumar Singh hailed the result, saying: 'Winning 20 medals at the continental level proves the immense depth and talent of our junior wrestling pipeline. Our women's team showed exceptional dominance by outclassing a powerhouse like Japan, and our boys put up a tremendous fight in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman against the best in Asia. The Federation is completely committed to nurturing these young athletes with the right training and exposure so they can seamlessly transition into champions for India on the senior international stage.'
Notably, the Indian contingent had also finished with 21 medals at the Under-15 Asian Wrestling Championships held at the same venue prior to the U20 event, signalling a deep and consistent junior pipeline. The focus now shifts to how these athletes are integrated into senior training programmes ahead of the next international cycle.
Point of View
But the more telling figure is the women's 90 per cent podium conversion rate — a depth metric that senior programmes rarely achieve. India finishing just 5 points behind China in the women's team standings, while outclassing Japan by 42 points, suggests the talent pipeline is not just wide but competitive at the very top. The real question is whether WFI's transition infrastructure — from U20 to senior international — is robust enough to convert this cohort into World Championship and Olympic contenders, or whether, as has happened before, the junior medals remain a floor that the senior programme struggles to build on.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many medals did India win at the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships 2025?
India won 20 medals in total — 4 gold, 7 silver, and 9 bronze — across Women's Wrestling, Men's Freestyle, and Greco-Roman disciplines at the Under-20 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.
Where did India finish in the team standings at the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships?
India's Women's Wrestling team finished second with 184 points, behind champions China (189 points). The Men's Freestyle team finished third with 152 points, behind Kazakhstan (170) and Iran (164).
Who won gold medals for India at the U20 Asian Wrestling Championships?
India's four gold medals were won by Parveen (Women's 50kg), Muskan (Women's 53kg), Kajal (Women's 76kg), and Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar (Men's Freestyle 70kg).
What did WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh say about the performance?
WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh called the 20-medal haul proof of India's junior wrestling depth, praising the women's team for outclassing Japan and the men for competing strongly against Asia's best. He reaffirmed the federation's commitment to nurturing these athletes for the senior international stage.
Did India also compete at the U15 Asian Wrestling Championships in Pattaya?
Yes. Prior to the U20 event, the Indian contingent competed at the Under-15 Asian Wrestling Championships at the same venue in Pattaya, finishing with 21 medals across the three wrestling categories.
