Astana, Oct 2026 : Indian wrestlers Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi clinched silver medals at the Senior World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday, marking a historic achievement for Indian women's wrestling. Both wrestlers reached the finals in their respective weight categories, making it the first time two Indian women competed for gold at the same edition of the World Championships.
In the 76kg final, 18-year-old Kajal faced Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpyeyeva in a closely contested bout. Despite putting up a determined fight, Kajal went down 6-8 to settle for silver. The result marked an impressive transition to the senior level for the young wrestler, who made her debut at the Senior World Championships after winning two U20 world titles.
Kajal's journey to the final was highlighted by a remarkable comeback in the semifinals. Trailing Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy 1-7, she staged a spirited recovery to secure a 10-7 victory and book her place in the gold medal bout. She had earlier registered wins over Lithuania's Kamile Griskiene Gaucaite and Mongolia's Davaanasan Enkh Amar.
In the 50kg final, 26-year-old Neelam Sirohi faced Japan's four-time world champion Yui Susaki. Neelam struggled against the experienced Japanese wrestler and suffered a defeat by fall after trailing 0-5, finishing the tournament with a silver medal.
Neelam had demonstrated consistent form on her way to the final, defeating Belarus' Natallia Varakina 6-0 before advancing past the quarterfinal stage following the injury withdrawal of Russia's Elizaveta Smirnova. She then defeated Kazakhstan's Zeinep Bayanova 7-3 in the semifinals to secure her place in the title clash.
The two silver medals represent a significant milestone for Indian wrestling. Their achievement builds on the breakthrough made by Anshu Malik, who became the first Indian woman to reach a World Championships final in 2021.
Meanwhile, India's Rajnita saw her campaign in the women's 65kg category end in the repechage round. She lost 2-6 to Japan's Nana Ikehata, missing out on a chance to compete for the bronze medal.
The women's wrestling competition will conclude on Thursday, with the remaining finals scheduled in the 55kg and 59kg categories.
Kajal and Neelam's performances have added another important chapter to India's growing presence in international women's wrestling, underlining the country's potential to compete for medals at the highest level of the sport.
