Asian Games wrestling heroes return with eyes on Olympic gold
Indian wrestlers arrived home from the Asian Games with six medals, including two golds, but there was little time for celebration as the country's Nagoya heroes quickly shifted their focus to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal won gold in freestyle, while Nitesh Siwach and Antim Panghal claimed silver and Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar returned with bronze medals.
For Sehrawat, the men's 57kg gold was particularly significant after a difficult phase following his Paris Olympics bronze.
The 23-year-old struggled with motivation in 2025 and was also troubled by a persistent stomach ailment that forced him to miss important competitions. In Nagoya, he put those setbacks behind him, defeating reigning world champion Han Chong Song of North Korea 11-7 in the final.
“Ups and downs, injuries keep happening like this. That phase also comes, but I had the belief in my mind. We should never give up, and I did the same. Today, I have won a gold medal in the Games. The future goal is the Olympics,” Sehrawat said after arriving in Delhi early Monday.
He said the gold had only strengthened his resolve to achieve bigger success.
“We won gold for the country. The plan for the future is exactly the same — we will win gold for the country and prepare accordingly,” he said.
The wrestler also had a message for the fans who supported him through difficult times.
“I thank all the countrymen; it was their prayers that worked in the matches,” he said.
“Now our national anthem will be played at the LA Olympics.”
Kalkal, India's other freestyle gold medallist, entered the Asian Games as the world No. 2 and unbeaten this season. But his 65kg final against Tajikistan's Abdulmazhid Kudiev was anything but straightforward.
Trailing 2-9, Kalkal mounted a remarkable comeback to win 10-9 and reclaim an Asian Games title previously won by Indian stars Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia.
“Whatever struggle I did has paid off. The final match was tough, but I was only thinking of winning at that time,” he said.
The 25-year-old said Olympic preparation had already begun.
“Now we will practise more, and if all goes well, we will win gold at the Olympics too. For the Olympics, the practice has already begun,” he said.
The silver won by Siwach in men's 97kg Greco-Roman wrestling was another product of perseverance.
A serious knee injury during his teenage years kept him away from wrestling for more than 18 months. During that period, he helped his family with its dairy business and sold milk in Panipat.
His comeback reached a landmark in Nagoya when he became the first Indian in 64 years to reach an Asian Games final in the weight category. He eventually lost 0-4 to Japan's Yuri Nakazato.
“I had aimed for gold. I didn't win gold, but I did secure the silver medal and I am very happy about that. Since this was my first Asian Games, I am delighted with the silver,” Siwach said.
He also hopes his performance can help change perceptions about India's Greco-Roman wrestlers.
“People used to say we wouldn't win medals in Greco-Roman, but we will continue to excel. We will bring home medals from the Los Angeles Olympics,” he said.
Siwach said he had already started working towards that goal.
“My preparation for the Olympics has already begun, starting from the very day I won the medal. I have to bring a gold in the Olympics,” he said.
Punia's bronze also came after a major career adjustment.
The 2019 World Championships silver medallist had competed at 86kg and 92kg before moving up to 97kg this year following a muscle injury. He secured his Asian Games berth in the new weight class and defeated Mongolia's Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the bronze-medal bout.
“Winning a medal was quite challenging for me because I used to compete in the 86kg category, but this time I participated in the 97kg category. There were many challenges, and my hope and goal was to win the gold medal. However, I had to settle for the bronze,” Punia said.
The experienced wrestler said managing pressure was as important as physical preparation.
“I just had to give my 100 per cent and that's what I did,” he said.
Panghal, meanwhile, improved on her bronze from the Hangzhou Asian Games by winning silver in the women's 53kg category. She lost 1-9 to Japan's Moe Kiyooka in the final.
Her coaches worked on her mental preparation before the competition, including showing her videos of previous victories over scheduled opponents to boost her confidence.
“It is my second time winning a medal. But I had thought that I had to come first, but I could not come first. In the future, I will try to do better than this,” Panghal said.
Sunil Kumar also made history by becoming the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win two Asian Games medals. He added a bronze in the 87kg category to the bronze he won at Hangzhou.
Returning from knee surgery, Sunil defeated the Philippines' Callum Johnston Roberts 9-0 by technical superiority in the bronze-medal bout.
“I am very happy and want to thank all my fellow countrymen. May your blessings and support continue to be with me,” he said.
The wrestlers were welcomed at the airport by family members, supporters and Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam.
Their medals from Nagoya have added to India's wrestling momentum, but for the athletes, the next target is already clear: turning Asian Games success into Olympic gold in Los Angeles.
