New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) The Indian men’s freestyle wrestling team was crowned the undisputed champions at the U23 Asian Wrestling Championships in Da Nang, Vietnam, lifting the Team Championship Trophy with a spectacular first-place finish.

India dominated the freestyle standings to claim the top spot ahead of powerhouse nations Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, who finished second and third respectively.

This historic freestyle victory capped off a sensational continental campaign for the entire Indian contingent, which amassed a staggering total of 27 medals, comprising eleven gold, seven silver, and nine bronze, across the Freestyle, Women’s Wrestling, and Greco-Roman categories.

The championship-winning freestyle squad wrapped up their campaign with nine medals, including four gold, three silver, and two bronze. Akshay T Dhere (57kg) and Vicky (97kg) set the tone with brilliant gold medals, and the momentum was carried forward by Kumar Mohit (65kg) and Chandermohan (79kg), who also stood atop the podium.

Deepak Rathi (61kg), Punit Kumar (92kg), and Lacky (125kg) contributed to the historic team title with hard-fought silver medals, while Deepak Berwal (74kg) and Mor Sachin (82kg) rounded out the freestyle tally with crucial bronze medal finishes.

“Lifting the U23 Asian Championship Trophy is a monumental achievement for Indian wrestling and a moment of immense pride for the entire country. Our freestyle grapplers have shown unparalleled determination and technical superiority to finish ahead of top wrestling nations like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan,” said Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh.

“Across all three styles, our athletes have proven that the future of Indian wrestling is incredibly bright. I extend my heartiest congratulations to all our medal winners, coaches, and support staff for making this historic triumph possible.”

India’s women wrestlers were equally dominant throughout the tournament, delivering an exceptional performance to capture ten medals. The women’s contingent brought home a remarkable six gold medals, with Muskan (53kg), Tapasya (57kg), Bhagyashree (62kg), Pulkit (67kg), Mansi (68kg), and Kajal (76kg) all showcasing their technical superiority in their respective title clashes.

Neha (59kg) and Sweety (50kg) fought valiantly to secure silver medals, while Amruta (72kg) and Ahilya (55kg) finished their campaigns on the podium with bronze.

In the Greco-Roman category, the Indian grapplers laid a strong foundation early in the tournament by securing eight medals. Sumit led the charge with a spectacular gold in the 63kg division, supported by silver medals from Suraj (60kg) and Sagar Singh (67kg).

Neeraj Patel (55kg), Sachin (77kg), Rohit Bura (87kg), Rohit (97kg), and Hardeep (130kg) added to the impressive haul with well-deserved bronze medals.

With the highly successful conclusion of the U23 competition, the focus will now shift to the sub-junior contingent. The U17 Asian Wrestling Championships are set to commence at the same venue in Da Nang tomorrow, with the opening bouts scheduled to begin from 10 AM onwards.

–IANS

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