Vishvajit More wins historic silver at U23 Wrestling Worlds in Las Vegas
Synopsis
Vishvajit More etched his name into Indian wrestling history with the country's first-ever Greco-Roman silver at the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas — but lost 12-13 in the final's dying seconds. The campaign was also shadowed by a diplomatic row: nine Indian wrestlers were denied US visas, with the WFI chief blaming the US Embassy for costing India potential gold medals.
Key Takeaways
Vishvajit Ramchandra More won India's first-ever Greco-Roman silver medal at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas on 15 October 2026 .
He lost 12-13 to Georgia's Koba Karumidze in the men's 55kg final in the closing seconds.
More reached the final with wins over Mexico ( 10-8 ), Iran ( 8-1 ), and Russia ( 6-4 ), becoming India's first-ever Greco-Roman finalist at the U23 Worlds.
He was previously a two-time bronze medallist at the U23 world level — making the silver a personal and national best.
Nine Indian wrestlers were denied US visas, reportedly for being under-20 and unemployed; WFI chief Sanjay Singh said at least two were gold medal contenders.
The UWW president reportedly wrote to the US Embassy on India's behalf, but the visas were not granted in time.
Indian wrestler Vishvajit Ramchandra More clinched India's first-ever silver medal in the Greco-Roman category at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas on Thursday, 15 October 2026, narrowly falling short of gold in a thrilling men's 55kg final. The result nonetheless marks a landmark moment for Indian Greco-Roman wrestling at the under-23 world level.
A Final to Remember
More went down 12-13 to Georgia's Koba Karumidze in the dying seconds of the final, surrendering a lead he had held for much of the bout. The defeat was agonising in its margin, yet the silver represents an unprecedented achievement — More became India's first-ever Greco-Roman finalist at the U23 Worlds, a milestone he reached on Tuesday before the gold-medal bout.
More had previously won two bronze medals at the U23 world level, making him India's most decorated Greco-Roman wrestler at this age-group championship. The silver surpasses both prior finishes and rewrites the record books for Indian wrestling in the discipline.
How More Reached the Final
More's campaign unfolded across three increasingly competitive bouts. He opened with a 10-8 win over Isaac Marin Mata of Mexico, then produced arguably his finest moment of the tournament — a decisive four-pointer throw against Armin Shamsipour of Iran, the reigning U20 world champion, for an 8-1 quarterfinal victory. Shamsipour appeared to have sustained a shoulder injury during the exchange.
The semifinal against Malik Gigiev of Russia proved the tightest contest, with both wrestlers pressing challenges throughout. More ultimately edged it 6-4 to book his place in the final and make history for Indian wrestling.
Visa Controversy Clouds India's Campaign
More's silver came amid a broader controversy that significantly dented India's medal prospects at the championships. Nine Indian U23 wrestlers — drawn from both the Greco-Roman and women's wrestling categories — were denied visas to travel to Las Vegas, reportedly on the grounds that they were under 20 and did not hold full-time employment.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh said the situation was unprecedented. 'The US Embassy rejected the visas of nine Indian wrestlers on the grounds that they are unemployed. For the first time in history this has happened. Even the UWW president wrote to them regarding the matter. This visa refusal is entirely the US Embassy's fault, and as a result, India lost out on gold medals. Among the nine wrestlers denied visas, at least two were strong gold medal prospects. India suffered a major medal loss due to the US Embassy's fault,' Singh said.
The United World Wrestling (UWW) president reportedly intervened by writing to the US Embassy, but the visas were not granted in time. At least two of the nine denied wrestlers were considered strong contenders for gold, according to Singh.
What This Means for Indian Wrestling
More's achievement is a genuine breakthrough for a discipline that has long remained in the shadow of India's freestyle wrestling programme. Greco-Roman demands a distinct skill set — no holds below the waist — and Indian competitors have historically struggled to translate domestic strength into world-level medals in the category. This is the first time India has reached a Greco-Roman final at the U23 Worlds, let alone won a medal above bronze.
The visa episode, however, casts a shadow over what could have been a considerably stronger medal haul. The WFI's public attribution of blame to the US Embassy is likely to draw a diplomatic response, and the incident may prompt Indian sporting bodies to seek alternative competition venues or consular support mechanisms ahead of future overseas championships.
Point of View
A discipline that has been treated as an afterthought compared to the freestyle programme. That the breakthrough came despite nine potential team members being grounded by US visa rejections makes it all the more striking — and raises a serious institutional question. The WFI chief's on-record attribution of blame to the US Embassy is unusually direct, and the claim that at least two gold medal prospects were among those denied entry demands a formal governmental response. If India's sporting bodies cannot reliably secure visas for young, amateur athletes travelling to internationally sanctioned competitions, the pipeline to senior-level medal contention will keep leaking talent at precisely the wrong moment.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Vishvajit More achieve at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026?
Vishvajit More won India's first-ever Greco-Roman silver medal at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas on 15 October 2026. He lost 12-13 to Georgia's Koba Karumidze in the men's 55kg final in the final seconds of the bout.
How did More progress to the final?
More defeated Isaac Marin Mata of Mexico 10-8 in the opening round, then beat U20 world champion Armin Shamsipour of Iran 8-1 in the quarterfinal with a four-pointer throw. He edged Malik Gigiev of Russia 6-4 in the semifinal to secure his historic final berth.
Why were nine Indian wrestlers denied visas for the U23 Worlds in Las Vegas?
According to WFI chief Sanjay Singh, the US Embassy rejected visas for nine Indian wrestlers on the grounds that they were under 20 and unemployed. Singh said the UWW president also wrote to the Embassy, but the visas were not granted in time for the championships.
How many medals had More won at the U23 Worlds before this?
More had previously won two bronze medals at the U23 World Championships, making him India's most decorated Greco-Roman wrestler at the under-23 level before his silver medal breakthrough in 2026.
What is the significance of India's Greco-Roman silver at the U23 Worlds?
It is India's first-ever silver medal in the Greco-Roman category at the U23 World Wrestling Championships, and More became the first Indian to reach a Greco-Roman final at this event. Greco-Roman is a distinct discipline that prohibits holds below the waist, and Indian wrestlers have rarely podium-finished at the world level in this style.
