India finishes Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 with nine medals

The senior Indian wrestling team finished their campaign at the 20th Asian Wrestling Championship by winning nine medals - four silvers and five bronzes. A total of 30 Indian men and women wrestlers competed in the championship. The men's wrestlers participated in the freestyle and Greco-Roman events while the women’s team participated only in the freestyle events. The 20th Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 was held in the Kyrgyzstan capital, Bishkek, from 11 -16 April 2024.

Most of the top Indian wrestlers were not participating in this year’s Asian Wrestling Championships. They skipped this championship to concentrate on the Asian Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers which are to be held in Bishkek starting from 19 April 2024. The Asian Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers are the last chance for Asian wrestlers to book a place for the Paris Olympics 2024.

Amongst the Indian wrestlers, only Antim Panghal has secured a quota for the Paris Olympics 2024. Antim Panghal qualified for the Paris Olympics for her bronze medal-winning performance in the 53 kg category at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships.

The Indian wrestling team for the first time participated under the Indian flag after the wrestling global governing body United World Wrestling suspended the Wrestling Federation of India in 2023. After the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India,the Indian team participated in the international events under the United World Wrestling  flag. The ban on the Wrestling federation of India was lifted recently.

Medal Winners for India 

The first medal for India in the championship was won by the U20 Asian champion, Udit. He won a silver medal in the 57 kg freestyle. 

None of the Indian wrestlers won a medal in the Greco-Roman category. 

Also, for the first time since 2019, none of the Indian wrestlers have won a gold medal in the 57 kg freestyle category at the Asian Wrestling Championship. Ravi kumar Dahiya won the gold medal for India in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 editions of the championships. Aman Sehrawat won gold for India in the 2023 edition.

India won 14 medals-one gold, three silvers, and 10 bronze at the 19th Asian Wrestling The only gold medal for India was won by Aman Sehrawat in the men’s 57kg freestyle event.