New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) A 60-member Indian contingent, featuring a blend of reigning continental medallists and promising young talent, will compete in the U15 and U20 Asian Wrestling Championships to be held in Pattaya, Thailand, from June 27 to July 5.

The tournament will feature competitions in men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling, with the U15 events scheduled to begin on June 27 before the U20 category takes centre stage from June 30.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has selected wrestlers across all three disciplines, with several athletes carrying strong credentials into the continental competition.

“This is a crucial tournament for us, and we’re sending a very solid group of wrestlers to Pattaya,” WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh said.

“We’ve picked a squad of 60 athletes who have really given their all in the domestic trials. When you look at athletes like Mansi or Neeraj, they already know what it takes to win at this level. And for the U15 kids, it’s all about getting that early international exposure against top-tier opponents. The federation stands behind them completely, and honestly, we are expecting a very good medal tally from this group,” he added.

The Women’s Wrestling contingent enters the U20 tournament anchored by 68kg freestyle sensation Mansi Lather. Mansi arrives in Pattaya riding a monumental wave of momentum, having recently delivered a masterclass performance to clinch the gold medal at the U23 Asian Wrestling Championships. Known for her aggressive upper-body control and tactical maturity, she enters the tournament as a strong contender for the U20 continental title.

The U15 women’s division is equally promising, featuring emerging domestic champions like Vinakshi (46kg) and Dipanshi (58kg), who delivered standout performances at the gruelling national selection trials to secure their spots on the flight to Thailand.

In the Men’s Freestyle division, the spotlight will be heavily focused on the U20 heavyweight category, driven by 125kg powerhouse Ronak. Bringing crucial international mat experience to the freestyle heavyweight division, Ronak has consistently proven his ability to outmanoeuvre and handle veteran competitors. The freestyle squad is further bolstered by explosive U20 athletes like Pavan Dhygude Dipanshu (65kg) and Adarsh Yuvraj Patil (74kg), alongside heavily scouted U15 regional prodigies like Jatin (38kg) and Arman (68kg).

The Greco-Roman squad is built around a core of technically sharp and defensively resilient grapplers. Leading the U20 charge is 55kg standout Neeraj Patel, who brings crucial international mat time to the table. Having recently battled his way to a bronze medal at the gruelling U23 Asian Wrestling Championships, where he secured an 8-0 shutout victory in his final match, Neeraj’s experience navigating tight par terre situations will be vital. Joining him are fast-rising tactical specialists like Suraj (60kg) and super-heavyweight Dishant (130kg), while the U15 division features raw tactical talents like Paryas Dhounchak (57kg) and Kushal Kajal (68kg), all looking to assert their absolute dominance in upper-body combat and secure continental hardware for the country.

The U20 Asian Wrestling Championships have long served as a platform for the emergence of India’s future international stars. Backed by a strong pipeline of talent and recent success at age-group events, the Indian contingent will aim to continue the country’s impressive record at the continental level in Pattaya.

–IANS

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