Nikita Sehrawat wins 57kg silver, Kamna and Garima claim bronze at U17 World Wrestling C'ships
Synopsis
Three Indian women wrestlers stepped onto the podium at the 2026 U17 World Championships in Baku — Nikita Sehrawat with a 57kg silver, Kamna Babal with a 49kg bronze via a gritty 3-2 win, and former U15 Asian Champion Garima with a 10-0 demolition job in the 73kg final. A clean sweep of podium finishes that signals real depth in India's junior women's wrestling pipeline.
Key Takeaways
Nikita Sehrawat won the 57kg silver medal at the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on 30 July .
She lost the final 0-6 to Epenesa Elison of the USA , the reigning U17 World silver medallist.
Kamna Babal claimed the 49kg bronze with a 3-2 win over Russia's Irina Tsydeeva in the third-place play-off.
Garima , a former U15 Asian Champion , won the 73kg bronze by technical superiority ( VSU ), beating Spain's Paula Benaixa Perez 10-0 .
Darpan Raju Chaudhari advanced in the 60kg Greco-Roman repechage with a 5-3 win over Greece's Pavlos Tsentidis .
India's women wrestlers put on a commanding display at the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on 30 July, returning home with one silver and two bronze medals across three weight categories. The haul underlines India's growing depth in junior women's wrestling on the global stage.
Nikita Sehrawat's Silver Run in 57kg
Nikita Sehrawat was the standout performer, navigating a strong field in the 57kg category to reach the championship final. There, she faced Epenesa Elison of the USA — the reigning U17 World silver medallist — and despite a spirited effort, went down 0-6 to settle for the silver medal. The loss does not diminish a campaign that required consistent, high-level wrestling to reach the final of a world championship.
Kamna Babal Battles Back for 49kg Bronze
In the 49kg division, Kamna Babal demonstrated composure under pressure. After a semifinal defeat to Japan's Saika Uchida, she regrouped for the bronze medal bout against Russia's Irina Tsydeeva. In a tightly contested match, Kamna edged out her opponent 3-2 to claim third place — a result that speaks to her mental resilience in high-stakes repechage situations.
Garima Dominates 73kg Bronze Medal Bout
Garima, a former U15 Asian Champion, delivered the most emphatic finish of the day in the 73kg category. After a narrow 5-7 semifinal loss to USA's Kaili Manuel, she came back with authority in the bronze medal match, dismantling Spain's Paula Benaixa Perez by a flawless 10-0 margin via technical superiority (VSU). The dominant scoreline reflected a wrestler operating well within her capabilities at the junior world level.
Darpan Raju Chaudhari Stays Alive in Greco-Roman
On the men's side, Darpan Raju Chaudhari kept his medal hopes alive in the 60kg Greco-Roman category, securing a 5-3 victory (VPO1) over Greece's Pavlos Tsentidis in the repechage round. His campaign continues as the tournament progresses.
India's Medal Tally and What It Signals
The three-medal return from Baku adds to a pattern of Indian wrestlers punching above their weight at the junior world level. Notably, all three podium finishers are women — reflecting the sustained investment in women's wrestling at the grassroots and development circuit level in India. With the senior World Championships on the horizon, performances like these will be closely watched by national selectors.
Point of View
Which reflects the payoff of India's deliberate push into junior women's combat sports over the past decade. What merits scrutiny, however, is the ceiling: Nikita's 0-6 final loss shows the gap that still exists between India's best juniors and the top American and Japanese competitors. Closing that gap before these athletes age into the senior circuit is the real test for Wrestling Federation of India's development programme.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won medals for India at the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships?
India won three medals at the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku on 30 July. Nikita Sehrawat took silver in the 57kg category, while Kamna Babal and Garima claimed bronze in the 49kg and 73kg categories respectively.
How did Nikita Sehrawat perform in the 57kg final?
Nikita Sehrawat reached the 57kg final but lost 0-6 to Epenesa Elison of the USA, the reigning U17 World silver medallist, to finish with the silver medal. Her run to the final at a world championship was itself a strong achievement.
How did Kamna Babal win her bronze medal?
Kamna Babal won the 49kg bronze medal with a narrow 3-2 victory over Russia's Irina Tsydeeva in the third-place play-off, having earlier lost her semifinal to Japan's Saika Uchida.
Who is Garima and how did she win her bronze?
Garima is a former U15 Asian Champion who competed in the 73kg category. She beat Spain's Paula Benaixa Perez 10-0 by technical superiority (VSU) in the bronze medal bout, after a 5-7 semifinal loss to USA's Kaili Manuel.
What is the significance of India's medal haul at the U17 Wrestling Worlds?
All three medals were won by women wrestlers, highlighting the growing strength of India's junior women's wrestling programme. The results are expected to draw attention from national selectors ahead of upcoming senior-level competitions.
