Indian wrestling marked one of its strongest days at the U20 World Wrestling Championships on Tuesday, securing two spots in the finals of women’s wrestling. Tapasya (57kg) and Srishti (68kg) both advanced after memorable semifinal victories, underlining India’s growing stature on the world stage.
With this, India joined Japan as the only countries to place two women wrestlers in the gold medal bouts of the day.
Tapasya Stuns Defending Champion Uchida
The headline performance came from Tapasya in the 57kg category. Facing Sowaka Uchida of Japan the reigning U20 world champion and undefeated on the international circuit the Indian displayed composure beyond her years. Uchida held a narrow 3–2 lead going into the closing seconds of the bout, but Tapasya timed her attack to perfection. With just five seconds on the clock, she executed a cradle to score two points and seal a dramatic 4–3 win.
The result sent ripples across the wrestling world. Uchida had looked comfortable earlier in the competition, winning her previous bouts by technical superiority. For Tapasya to break through in such a manner was a landmark moment, reflecting both her tactical maturity and India’s deeper bench strength at the junior level.
She will now face Norway’s Felicitas Domajeva, who scripted history of her own by becoming the first Norwegian woman in 15 years to reach a U20 World Championship final.
Srishti Books Her Place in the 68kg Final
If Tapasya’s victory was dramatic, Srishti’s semifinal at 68kg was dominant. A returning bronze medalist at this event, she overpowered Germany’s Laura Koehler with a blend of power and control. A four-point takedown early in the bout set the tone, and Srishti kept adding to her tally through stepouts and defensive solidity. She eventually secured a 7–3 win, ensuring her progression to the gold medal match.
Srishti’s rise has been steady. Already an Asian U23 champion this year, she has built a reputation for strong double-leg attacks and relentless pressure. Against Koehler, she combined that aggression with patience, capitalizing on openings rather than forcing them. Her final against Japan’s Ray Hoshino, the defending champion, will be another stern test.
While Tapasya and Srishti grabbed the spotlight, other Indian wrestlers had mixed fortunes. Ajay Kapade (61kg freestyle) pushed hard in his quarterfinal against Adlan Saitiev but eventually went down 17–9, undone by a flurry of turns and laces from the UWW neutral entry wrestler. Kapade had shown promise in the early exchanges with aggressive forward pressure, but the gap in defense proved costly. The men’s freestyle categories, contested alongside women’s events, saw little Indian progress into the medal rounds.
Vishal (97kg) narrowly missed out on bronze on Monday, losing via fall to Kazakhstan’s Samir Dursunov. Amit (79kg) also fell short in his semifinal against American William Henckel, losing 4–5 after fading late. He will contest the bronze medal bout.
Taken together, the contrasting results highlighted both the promise and the challenges facing India’s junior program. The women have shown greater consistency and medal-winning ability on the world stage, while the men are still searching for breakthroughs. The broader picture from Tuesday’s action showed Japan and India as the leading forces in women’s wrestling at this championship. Both nations produced two finalists, signaling depth in multiple weight categories. Japan’s Sakura Onishi (59kg) and Ray Hoshino (68kg) advanced, while India matched that with Tapasya and Srishti.
Elsewhere, Norway celebrated Domajeva’s run to the final, a rare milestone for the country. The United States, too, saw success in men’s freestyle, with Marcus Blaze (61kg) and Maxwell McEnelly (86kg) advancing.
For India, the performances in Samokov underline a growing trend. In recent years, the country has steadily produced women wrestlers capable of competing with the world’s best at the junior and senior levels. From Antim Panghal’s consecutive U20 world titles in 2022 and 2023, to this year’s double final appearance, the trajectory is unmistakably upward.
Equally significant is the way these victories were achieved. Tapasya’s late rally against Uchida showed tactical patience and mental toughness, traits that often decide close contests at the senior level. Srishti’s controlled win reflected a growing ability to dominate opponents through structured attacks rather than relying on single moments of brilliance. The challenge now is to convert finals into gold medals. India has often reached the cusp at global events only to fall short against powerhouses like Japan and the United States.
If Tapasya and Srishti can seize their chances on Wednesday, it would mark a watershed moment for India at the U20 World Championships the first time the country could emerge with multiple golds from a single edition.
Regardless of the final results, Tuesday will be remembered as a day when Indian wrestling once again stamped its presence on the world map. The baton carried by past champions is clearly in safe hands.
