India Shines at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2025
India’s campaign at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2025 in Amman, Jordan, saw a significant boost as the country’s wrestlers bagged three more medals on a dramatic day.
Reetika Hooda clinched a silver medal in the 76kg category, while Mansi Lather (68kg) and Muskan (59kg) added two bronze medals to India’s tally.
With these latest wins, India has now secured five medals (1 silver, 4 bronze) in the tournament. However, the hunt for a gold medal still continues, as no Indian wrestler has yet stood at the top of the podium in this edition of the Asian Championships.
Reetika Hooda Falls Agonizingly Short, Wins Silver in 76kg 🥈
India’s Reetika Hooda became the first wrestler to reach the finals of the 2025 Asian Wrestling Championships. Her 76kg gold medal match against Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan) was highly anticipated, as it was a rematch of their Olympic Qualifier quarterfinal.
🔥 Gold Medal Match Recap:
✅ Reetika dominated early and held a 6-2 lead until the final 20 seconds.
❌ Medet Kyzy staged a dramatic comeback, scoring crucial points in the dying moments to snatch a 7-6 victory.
✅ Despite the heartbreaking loss, Reetika’s silver medal is a huge achievement, reaffirming her position as one of the top wrestlers in Asia.
Her journey to the final was nothing short of remarkable:
✔ Quarterfinal: Defeated Jeong (South Korea) 10-0 via Technical Superiority (TSU).
✔ Semifinal: Defeated Yamamoto Nadoka (Japan), a U23 World bronze medalist, via fall.
Reetika’s performance proves that she is a rising star in Indian wrestling, and her silver medal will be an inspiration for future wrestlers.
Mansi Lather Clinches Bronze in 68kg 🥉
Young Indian wrestler Mansi Lather, a former U17 World Champion, put up a strong display in the 68kg category to secure a bronze medal.
🔥 Bronze Medal Match Recap:
✅ Mansi outclassed Irina Kazyulina (Kazakhstan) 12-2 via Technical Superiority (TSU).
✅ She showcased aggressive attacking moves that overwhelmed her opponent.
Mansi had earlier lost her semi-final bout to Li (China) 1-10 via technical superiority, but she bounced back in the bronze medal match with a commanding performance.
Her road to the bronze:
✔ Qualification Round: Defeated Sheng Cai (Chinese Taipei) 10-0 via TSU.
✔ Quarterfinal: Advanced to the semis with a solid performance.
Mansi’s victory marks an important milestone in her career and adds another valuable medal to India’s tally.
Muskan Secures India’s Third Medal of the Day in 59kg 🥉
Another bright spot for India came in the 59kg category, where Muskan put up a gritty performance to claim bronze.
🔥 Bronze Medal Match Recap:
✅ Muskan defeated Altjin Togtokh (Mongolia) 4-0.
✅ Displayed excellent defense in the last 40 seconds to hold onto her lead.
✅ A crucial counterattack secured a takedown point that sealed the match.
Muskan’s journey at the tournament was full of challenges:
✔ Qualification Round: Dominated Caprio (Philippines) 10-0 via Technical Superiority.
❌ Quarterfinal: Lost to Onishi (Japan) 2-12 but made a strong comeback in the repechage.
Her bronze medal is a testament to her resilience and determination.
Other Notable Performances from India 🇮🇳
🔹 Nishu (55kg) narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, losing 0-4 to Otgontuya (Mongolia), a two-time reigning champion.
In earlier rounds, some Indian wrestlers faced tough losses:
❌ Nishu (55kg) lost 0-10 in the qualification round against China’s Li.
❌ Ankush (50kg) was outclassed by Japan’s Yoshimoto (0-10) in his opening bout.
India’s Medal Tally So Far 🏅
🥈 Silver:
✔ Reetika Hooda (76kg)
🥉 Bronze:
✔ Mansi Lather (68kg)
✔ Muskan (59kg)
✔ Two other bronze medals from Greco Roman
India’s wrestlers have now won five medals (1 silver, 4 bronze), but a gold medal continues to elude them.
Can India End the Gold Drought?
Interestingly, no Indian wrestler won a gold medal in the previous edition of the Asian Wrestling Championships. This year, the trend continues so far, with Indian wrestlers coming close but falling short at the final hurdle.
With more events yet to come, the big question remains: Can India finally break the gold medal drought?
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for India?
With the Asian Wrestling Championships still ongoing, India has more opportunities to add to their medal count. Reetika Hooda’s silver medal performance proves that India is competing at the highest level, and with continued improvement, a gold medal might just be around the corner.
The 2025 Asian Wrestling Championships is also an important stepping stone for Indian wrestlers preparing for upcoming Olympic qualifiers, and these performances will serve as a great confidence booster ahead of future international tournaments.
The Blue Singlets have already made India proud, but they will be hoping to take it a step further and claim the ultimate prize—gold!
🔥 Stay tuned for more updates from Amman, Jordan!
#Wrestling #WrestleAmman #TeamIndia 🤼♀️🇮🇳
