Asian U23 champion Sujeet Kalkal delivered a statement performance in the 65kg category, capturing India’s first senior gold medal of the season and bringing a much-needed boost to Indian freestyle wrestling.
In a dramatic and action-packed day at the Budapest Ranking Series, India finally had its long-awaited moment of gold at the senior level in 2025.
The day began with eyes set on Sujeet, who entered the tournament with a string of impressive age-group achievements but was yet to announce himself on the senior international stage.
He wasted no time doing just that, starting his campaign with a statement win over Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Islam Dudaev of Albania. Sujeet’s sharp footwork and relentless attacking style were too much for Dudaev, as the young Indian moved into the quarterfinals.
His next bout saw him face France’s Khamzat Arsamerzouev, the European U23 silver medallist. Sujeet’s agility and tactical discipline secured another victory, pushing him into the semifinal against Vazgen Tevanyan of Armenia a world medalist known for his defensive prowess. Yet again, Sujeet showed maturity beyond his years, defeating Tevanyan and setting up a title clash against Azerbaijan’s Ali Rahimzade.
In the final, Sujeet initially found himself trailing 0-1 after conceding an activity point in the first period. However, in the second period, he shifted gears. Taking advantage of Rahimzade dropping to his knees near the edge, Sujeet forced a takedown while the Azerbaijani was on the activity clock.
Now leading 3-1, Sujeet capitalised on the momentum, scoring another takedown to seal a convincing 5-1 victory. The win earned him his first senior Ranking Series gold medal, ending India’s gold drought in the process and evoking memories of former Indian great Bajrang Punia with his mix of grit and technical finesse.
While Sujeet’s gold was the highlight, India also celebrated a bronze medal at 57kg through Rahul. The young Indian wrestler started strong, reaching the semifinal against rising American star and U20 world champion Luke Lilledahl. In an intense bout, Rahul used a well-executed leg turk to build a 6-2 lead. However, Lilledahl’s persistence turned the tide: he closed the gap and finally edged past Rahul 7-6 in the final seconds.
Though missing out on the gold bout, Rahul regrouped strongly for the bronze medal match, where he controlled the pace and defeated Germany’s Niklas Stechele 4-0. The result added a second medal for India on the day and showcased the growing depth in India’s lighter weight categories.
Beyond Indian results, the event in Budapest highlighted the global strength and rivalries shaping up ahead of the World Championships. Japan’s Takara Suda and Yoshinosuke Aoyagi both underlined their credentials as title contenders. Suda, wrestling in the 61kg category, pulled off a dramatic comeback against Kyrgyzstan’s Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu.
Trailing 1-3 with seconds left, Suda executed a brilliant takedown, switching directions mid-move to outwit his opponent. Though initially scored 3-3 on criteria, a successful Japanese challenge upgraded the move to four points, giving Suda a 5-3 victory and yet another Ranking Series gold to add to his earlier triumph in Tirana.
Meanwhile, Aoyagi dominated his final at 70kg against European silver medallist Arman Andreasyan of Armenia. Using a head-in-the-hole move and a duck-under takedown, Aoyagi claimed an emphatic 8-0 victory. His triumph further cemented the reputation of Japan’s Yamanashi Gakuin University as a powerhouse for producing world-class freestyle wrestlers.
Other weight categories also witnessed intense battles. In the 57kg final, Lilledahl capped his day of comebacks by scoring a late takedown to defeat Islam Bazarganov of Azerbaijan 3-1, securing his first senior gold. At 79kg, world silver medallist Vladimeri Gamkrelidze of Georgia returned to form, defeating Tajikistan’s Magomet Evloev 5-0 to win gold. Bahrain added to its medal tally when Shamil Sharipov triumphed at 125kg, beating Dzianis Khramiankou (UWW) 5-3.
Despite these global headlines, from an Indian perspective, the spotlight firmly belonged to Sujeet. His path to gold beating an Olympic medallist, a European U23 silver medallist, a world medallist, and finally a top Azerbaijani wrestler was arguably the most challenging of the entire tournament.
His performance not only ended a barren run for Indian freestyle wrestling at senior level but also hinted at a new generation ready to step onto the world stage.
Rahul’s bronze further strengthened the narrative that India’s younger wrestlers are making strides against elite competition. As the team builds towards the World Championships later this year, the Budapest results serve as both a breakthrough and a benchmark.
For now, Sujeet’s golden moment stands as a testament to talent, patience, and perseverance a much-needed boost for Indian wrestling and a signal of bigger things to come.
