Astana, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Asian champion Sujeet Kalkal suffered a narrow defeat in the men’s freestyle 65kg quarter-final at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana on Thursday.
Sujeet, the Asian Games champion, lost 3-3 on criteria to Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiev. The Indian wrestler had defeated Kudiev at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya to win gold after producing an extraordinary late comeback from a 2-9 deficit.
In Thursday’s quarter-final, Sujeet took a 3-1 lead over Kudiev and attempted to move behind the Tajik wrestler for a takedown. However, Kudiev defended by reaching for Sujeet’s heel and subsequently managed to score a takedown. The Tajik wrestler maintained his 3-3 criteria advantage to secure the victory.
This was the third meeting between Sujeet and Kudiev this year. Sujeet had defeated the Tajik wrestler 7-2 in the semi-finals of the 2026 Asian Championships before going on to claim the continental title.
Sujeet began his campaign strongly, dominating Switzerland’s Nino Leutert in the opening bout. He executed two-arm throws worth two points each before landing a four-pointer to establish an 8-0 lead. Leutert scored a step-out to extend the contest, but Sujeet secured a takedown in the second period to win 12-1.
In the men’s 97kg category, Vicky Hooda suffered a 2-12 defeat by technical superiority against Japan’s Arash Yoshida in the quarter-finals.
Yoshida controlled the bout with step-outs and takedowns before countering one of Vicky’s moves to score a four-pointer. Vicky managed to earn two points, but the Japanese wrestler comfortably saw out the remaining time.
Both Sujeet and Vicky remain in contention for the repechage round, provided their respective quarter-final opponents advance to the final.
Meanwhile, Manisha progressed to the women’s 69kg semi-finals after defeating Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu 6-0, scoring two step-outs and two takedowns. She had earlier beaten Canada’s Laurence Beauregard 6-2 in the quarter-finals.
In the women’s 55kg category, Ahilya Shinde opened her campaign with an 8-1 victory over Cuba’s Yaynelis Sanz Verdecia before losing 6-9 to Türkiye’s Tuba Demir in the quarter-finals.
Demir fought back from a 0-3 deficit in the second period, mounting a strong comeback to defeat Ahilya and advance to the semi-finals. The Turkish wrestler took the lead with a two-point whizzer counter and a subsequent exposure. Shinde reversed the move, leaving Demir ahead 5-4.
Demir appeared to seal the victory with a takedown with 12 seconds remaining, but the contest continued as both wrestlers exchanged two-point exposures in the closing seconds.
Ahilya still has a chance to compete in the bronze medal playoff if Demir reaches the final.
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