Asian Games 2026: Sujeet Kalkal in 65kg wrestling final after stunning Olympic champion Kiyooka
Synopsis
Coming back from 0-2 down to beat reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka on criteria, Sujeet Kalkal has pulled off the biggest win of his career at the Asian Games in Nagoya — and he's not done yet. A gold medal final against Tajikistan awaits, while Dipanshi has clawed her way to a bronze medal match through the repechage route.
Key Takeaways
Sujeet Kalkal defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan 3-3 on criteria in the 65kg freestyle semi-final at the Asian Games in Nagoya .
Sujeet will contest the gold medal final against Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan later on 2 October .
Dipanshi (50kg) lost to Tokyo Olympics champion Yui Susaki but advanced via repechage, winning 10-0 over Cambodia's Samnang Dit.
Dipanshi will face Zeinep Bayanova of Kazakhstan in the women's 50kg bronze medal bout .
Priya Malik (76kg) was eliminated after a loss to world silver medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan.
Ruhal (125kg) was knocked out in the opening round, losing 3-8 to Kazakhstan's U20 world champion Yedige Kassimbek .
Indian freestyle wrestler Sujeet Kalkal stormed into the men's 65kg final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Friday, 2 October, producing the biggest result of his career by overcoming reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in a pulsating semi-final. Meanwhile, Dipanshi fought back through the repechage route to earn a shot at the women's 50kg bronze medal.
Sujeet's Stunning Semi-Final Comeback
Trailing 0-2, Sujeet refused to fold against Kiyooka — a home favourite competing in front of a partisan Japanese crowd. He clawed back with back-to-back scoring moves to go ahead 4-2, though a review trimmed his tally to 3. Kiyooka levelled at 3-3, but Sujeet advanced to the final on criteria, having registered the bigger-scoring move. The Asian Championships gold medallist and U23 world champion will now face Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan in the gold medal bout later on Friday.
Sujeet's Route to the Final
Sujeet opened his campaign in the pre-quarterfinal with a commanding 13-3 technical superiority win over Sayed Omar Zazai of Afghanistan. Despite conceding three early points, he steadied himself with a step-out, then added a four-pointer, a go-behind, and an exposure to take control. In the quarterfinal, he was equally dominant, defeating Abbas Ebrahimzadeh 10-0 — opening with an arm throw and following up with two exposure scores and two go-behinds.
Dipanshi's Repechage Lifeline
The women's wrestling contingent had a difficult start to the day. Dipanshi, competing in the 50kg category, lost her opening bout 0-11 to Tokyo Olympics champion and four-time world champion Yui Susaki of Japan. However, with Susaki progressing all the way to the final, Dipanshi was handed a repechage berth. She made full use of it, posting a 10-0 technical superiority win over Cambodia's Samnang Dit. She will now contest the bronze medal match against Zeinep Bayanova of Kazakhstan.
Mixed Day for Other Indian Wrestlers
The day was not without setbacks. In the men's 125kg freestyle, Ruhal was eliminated in the opening round, going down 3-8 to Kazakhstan's U20 world champion Yedige Kassimbek. In the women's 76kg, Priya Malik lost to world silver medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan. Priya briefly made it 2-1 in the second period, but Medet Kyzy responded with a takedown to lead 4-1 before securing a pin after Priya attempted a high-risk throw in the closing seconds.
India's Medal Prospects
India now has a guaranteed medal in the women's 50kg event through Dipanshi's bronze-medal berth, while Sujeet's gold medal final appearance puts India within touching distance of a landmark result in freestyle wrestling. This comes amid a broader push by India's wrestling programme following strong showings at recent world-level competitions. All eyes will be on Sujeet as he faces Kudiev in what promises to be a high-stakes final.
Point of View
Coming from behind, on criteria, is precisely the kind of pressure-performance metric that separates medallists from participants. Dipanshi's repechage run, while less glamorous, reflects the same fighting spirit and keeps India's medal count ticking. The real test for Indian wrestling, however, remains converting these major-tournament semi-final appearances into gold — a ceiling the programme must now break.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Sujeet Kalkal reach the Asian Games 65kg wrestling final?
Sujeet Kalkal reached the final by defeating reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan 3-3 on criteria in the semi-final on 2 October in Nagoya, after coming back from a 0-2 deficit. He had earlier beaten Sayed Omar Zazai 13-3 and Abbas Ebrahimzadeh 10-0 in the earlier rounds.
Who will Sujeet Kalkal face in the 65kg gold medal final?
Sujeet Kalkal will face Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan in the men's 65kg freestyle wrestling gold medal final at the Asian Games in Nagoya.
How did Dipanshi qualify for the women's 50kg bronze medal match?
Dipanshi entered the bronze medal match via the repechage route after losing her opening bout to Tokyo Olympics champion Yui Susaki of Japan. She won her repechage bout against Cambodia's Samnang Dit by a 10-0 technical superiority margin and will face Kazakhstan's Zeinep Bayanova for the bronze.
What happened to India's other wrestlers at the Asian Games on 2 October?
Priya Malik (76kg) was eliminated after losing to world silver medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan, who secured a pin in the closing stages. In the men's 125kg category, Ruhal was knocked out in the first round, losing 3-8 to Kazakhstan's U20 world champion Yedige Kassimbek.
Who is Sujeet Kalkal and what are his previous achievements?
Sujeet Kalkal is an Indian freestyle wrestler competing in the 65kg category and is the Asian Championships gold medallist as well as a U23 world champion. His semi-final victory over Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka at the Asian Games in Nagoya is widely regarded as the biggest result of his career.
