India’s young wrestlers capped off a remarkable campaign at the 2025 Asian Youth Games, finishing with a rich haul of three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
The week-long wrestling competition in Tashkent saw several of India’s brightest teenage talents stamp their authority on the continental stage, displaying technical excellence, resilience, and a hunger for success. Among the standout performers were Moni (57kg), Jaiveer Singh (55kg), and Yashita Rana (61kg) all of whom clinched gold medals after dominant runs through their respective categories. Ashvini Vishnoi (69kg) and Gaurav Punia (65kg) claimed silver medals, while Komal Verma (49kg) and Rachana (43kg) secured bronze to round off an impressive medal tally for the Indian contingent.
Moni crowned Asian Youth Games Champion (57kg)
India’s rising star Moni, who had earlier won silver at the U17 World Championships, lived up to expectations with a commanding performance in the women’s 57kg category. The young wrestler breezed through the early rounds, defeating Thailand’s Nathakham 4-0 and China’s Xu 8-0 before entering the final.
In the gold medal bout, Moni faced Kurmanbekovna of Kyrgyzstan a contest she completely dominated from the outset. Demonstrating her superior control and technique, Moni wrapped up the match via technical superiority (10-0), clinching the gold medal without conceding a single point throughout the competition.
Her title run underscored her growing maturity on the mat a perfect blend of tactical awareness and aggression that makes her one of India’s brightest prospects in women’s wrestling.
Another highlight of India’s campaign came from Yashita Rana in the women’s 61kg category. A U17 World Championships silver medallist, Yashita showcased tremendous fighting spirit in her final bout against Kazakhstan’s Zhaidar Mukat. After trailing 0-3 early on, Yashita launched a spirited comeback, levelling the score at 5-5 and eventually securing the decisive point to clinch the match 6-5. It was a display of grit and composure under pressure, earning her the title of Asian Youth Games Champion.
In earlier rounds, she had outclassed Uzbekistan’s Jumanazarova 4-1 and Kyrgyzstan’s Chynybaeva 6-0 — both victories highlighting her consistency and adaptability against different wrestling styles.
Jaiveer Singh dominates to win gold (55kg)
In the boys’ 55kg category, Jaiveer Singh produced one of the tournament’s most memorable moments. After impressive wins over Sri Lanka’s Gedara (10-0) and Iran’s Zarezadeh (4-4 on criteria), Jaiveer faced Japan’s Yamato Furusawa in the gold medal bout. The young Indian displayed clinical precision and control, eventually securing victory via pinfall, a result that crowned him Asian Youth Games Champion. His aggression and finishing ability were reminiscent of India’s strong freestyle wrestling tradition a sign that the next generation is ready to carry the torch forward.
Ashvini Vishnoi, the reigning U17 World Champion in 65kg, moved up a weight category to 69kg for the Asian Youth Games. The shift in division didn’t deter her dominance as she powered her way to the final with convincing wins over Kazakhstan’s Saiakhmet (5-0) and Kyrgyzstan’s Asamalikova (5-0). In the final, she faced Zhao Min of China, also a U17 World Champion — a highly anticipated clash between two of Asia’s brightest young wrestlers. Despite a strong start, Ashvini couldn’t overcome Zhao’s tactical edge, going down 3-10 to settle for a hard-fought silver medal.
It was a meeting of equals a battle of reigning world champions and Ashvini’s performance reaffirmed her position as one of India’s most promising youth wrestlers. In the boys’ 65kg division, Gaurav Punia delivered another strong performance for India. After storming through the rounds with wins over China’s Wu (10-0) and Turkmenistan’s Gylyjkov (12-2), he edged past Kazakhstan’s Askerbek 3-2 in the semifinals to reach the gold medal match.
Asian Youth Games 2025 Wrestling: Four Indians enter gold medal bouts, two to fight for bronze
In the final, he went up against Iran’s Morteza Mollamohammadi, the U17 World bronze medallist. Despite his best efforts, Gaurav fell short 1-4, taking home a well-deserved silver medal. His tactical discipline and consistency through the rounds showed his growing maturity and promise at the international level.
Bronze medals for Komal Verma and Rachana
Rounding off India’s medal tally were Komal Verma (49kg) and Rachana (43kg), who both clinched bronze medals in the girls’ events.
Komal, a U17 Worlds bronze medallist, bounced back strongly after a semifinal defeat to beat China’s Mo 3-1 in the bronze medal match, while Rachana ended her campaign on a high note, thrashing Kazakhstan’s Bakkhozha 11-0 in her bronze medal bout. Both wrestlers showed excellent recovery after early setbacks and ensured India’s medal count crossed the seven-mark milestone.
With a total of seven medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), India finished among the top wrestling nations at the Asian Youth Games 2025. The performances of Moni, Yashita, Jaiveer, Ashvini, and others reflected the growing depth and quality in India’s youth wrestling system — driven by structured training, exposure, and the hunger to compete with the best.
The medal tally is not just a statistic it’s a statement. India’s next generation of wrestlers has arrived, confident, fearless, and ready to take on the world.
Final Indian Medal Tally in Wrestling – Asian Youth Games 2025
🥇 Moni (57kg)
🥇 Yashita Rana (61kg)
🥇 Jaiveer Singh (55kg)
🥈 Ashvini Vishnoi (69kg)
🥈 Gaurav Punia (65kg)
🥉 Komal Verma (49kg)
🥉 Rachana (43kg)
India’s final tally: 🥇3 🥈2 🥉2 , 7 medals total A campaign to remember and a glimpse of the future of Indian wrestling.
