#WrestleNoviSad

U23 European C'ship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

NOVI SAD, Serbia (February 28) - United World Wrestling has released the rosters for the 2019 U23 European Championships, which take place March 4-10 at Novi Sad, Serbia's SPENS Sports Hall. 

Greco-Roman wrestling kicks off the seven-day tournament and will be followed by women's wrestling and freestyle. 

Freestyle 
57kg

Vaghinak MATEVOSYAN (ARM)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Mikyay Salim NAIM (BUL)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER) 
Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN)
Mihail LAPP (MDA) 
Haljit OSMAN (MKD)
Gary GIORDMAINA (MLT) 
Vasyl ILNYTSKYI (POL) 
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) 
Amirkhan GUVAZHOKOV (RUS)
Martin GATIA L(SVK) 
Saban KIZILTAS (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS) will at 61kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka) 

61kg
Hrachya MARGARYAN (ARM)
Asgar MAMMADALIYEV (AZE)
Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Karoly KISS (HUN)
Natanel SAIDOV (ISR) 
Vitalie BUNICI (MDA) 
Elmedin SEJFULAU (MKD)
Costel TARCOCI (ROU) 
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Selehattin SERT (TUR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR)

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT) 
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Dzianis MAKSIMAU (BLR)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Justin MUELLER (GER) 
Roman ASHARIN (HUN)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) 
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU) 
Saiyn KAZYRYK (RUS)
Elbrus CHERTKOEV (SVK) 
Selim KOZAN (TUR)
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)

70kg
Gevorg MKHEYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Aliaksandr KURYSHTA (BLR)
Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL)
Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Artem AUGA (LTU) 
Vasile DIACON (MDA) 
Andrew AZZOPARDI (MLT) 
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL) 
Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS)
Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) 
Omer Faruk CAYIR (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

74kg
Khachatur PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Eduard TATARINOV (GER) 
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU) 
Gheorghi PASCALOV (MDA) 
Mateusz Dariusz KAMPIK (POL) 
Nikita SUCHKOV (RUS)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) 
Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)



Radik VALIEV (RUS) will try to defend his U23 Euro title from a year ago. He'll wrestle at 79kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

79kg
Simon Christian HARTMANN (AUT) 
Rashad YUSIFLI (AZE)
Uladzislau YELISEYEU (BLR)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Kevin LUCHT (GER) 
Botond LUKACS (HUN)
Dan Or TSESARSKY (ISR) 
Ivan ICHIZLI( MDA) 
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL) 
Radik VALIEV (RUS)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK) 
Ramazan Ishak SARI (TUR)
Adlan BATAIEV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE)
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (BLR)
Marchelo Ivanov KYUCHUKOV (BUL)
Daniel HERRERO AVERCHENCO (ESP)
Syerus ESLAMI (GBR)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO)
Johannes Martin DEML (GER) 
Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) 
Gabriele DORO (ITA)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA) 
Bujamin NUISHI (MKD)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL) 
Arsen-Ali MUSALALIEV (RUS)
Arif OZEN (TUR)
Demid KARACHENKO (UKR)

92kg
Sargis HOVSEPYAN (ARM)
Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE)
Aliaksei RUDZIANOK (BLR)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO)
Ilja MATUHIN (GER) 
Bendeguz TOTH (HUN)
David LABKOVSKY (ISR) 
William RAFFI (ITA)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA) 
Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Vasyl SOVA (UKR)


Georgia's reigning 97kg U23 world champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI will compete at 97kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin) 

97kg
Alimagomed ALIKHMAEV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER) 
Kristof WITTMANN (HUN)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU) 
Shamil Alievitch MUSAEV (RUS)
Aleksandar PANTELIC (SRB)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Magamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

125kg
Islam Aslangereyvic ABUEV (AZE)
Vitali PIASNIAK (BLR)
Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO)
Dominik KLANN (GER) 
Mihaly NAGY (HUN)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA) 
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL) 
Vitalii GOLOEV (RUS)
Georgii NOGAEV (SVK) 
Huseyin Mehmet CIVELEK (TUR)
Yurii IDZINSKYI (UKR)


Six-time age-group world champion Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) has entered his named into the U23 European Championships. He'll try to defend his title from last season. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Greco-Roman 
Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM)
Ziyad ZEYNALOV (AZE)
Dzmitry RADZEVICH (BLR)
Enrick Jean Flavien BATAILLE (FRA)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Bence KOVACS (HUN)
Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR) 
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Artium DELEANU (MDA) 
Florin TITA (ROU) 
Viktor VEDERNIKOV (RUS)
Sebastian KOLOMPAR (SRB)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Vladyslav KOROSTELOV (UKR)

60kg
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM)
Ihar DROZD (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Mikkel LASSEN (DEN)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Antonio MARTINS CABRAL (POR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) 
Sadyk LALAEV (RUS)
Dejan PETROVIC (SRB)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR)

63kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Mikayil RAHMANOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr PECHURENKA (BLR)
Nikalas Petrov SULEV (BUL)
Ott SAAR (EST)
Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Andrej GINC (GER) 
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Cezary Bartosz NOWAK (POL) 
Julinho Benjamim CORREIA DJU (POR)
Mihai Irinel BOTEZ (ROU) 
Roman Aleksandrovich IVANOV (RUS)
Miljan DUKANOVIC (SRB)
Virgil Alexander BICA (SWE)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Nestar Nedkov NESTAROV (BUL)
Alejandro Ruslan CONCEPCION CASTILLO (ESP)
Giorgi KURTANIDZE (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) 
Bence BALATONI (HUN)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) 
Valentin PETIC (MDA) 
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz Radoslaw SZEWCZUK (POL) 
Pedro Miguel DE MATOS OLIVEIRA DE MORAIS CA (POR)
Alexandru SOLOMON (ROU) 
Alen MIRZOIAN (RUS)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Flavio FREULER (SUI)
Haci KARAKUS (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)

72kg
Hrant KALACHYAN (ARM)
Christoph BURGER (AUT) 
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Andrei DZIAMBITSKI (BLR)
Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Oliver KAJTAN (HUN)
Titas KERSEVICIUS (LTU) 
Valeriu TODEREAN (MDA) 
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Bartlomiej Daniel KLIMEK (POL) 
Magomed YARBILOV (RUS)
Aleksa ERSKI (SRB)
Denis HORVATH (SVK) 
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR)


Russia's 2018 junior world champion Islam OPIEV (RUS) will make his U23 debut at the U23 European Championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

77kg
Nasir HASANOV (AZE)
Anton SAKHNO (BLR)
Zahari Rosenov ZASHEV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Daniel VARGA (CZE)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Beka MAMUKASHVILI (GEO)
Karan MOSEBACH (GER) 
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU) 
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Maksym ZAKHARCHUK (POL) 
George Vlad MARIEA (ROU) 
Islam OPIEV (RUS)
Andrija Luka MALETIN (SRB)
Norbert SIPKA (SVK) 
Khalid KERCHIYEV (SWE)
Serkan AKKOYUN (TUR)
Elmar NURALIIEV (UKR)

82kg
David HALBEISEN (AUT) 
Eltun VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Karlo KODRIC (CRO)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO)
Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
Victor BUZU (MDA) 
Filip Piotr CHRZASZCZ (POL) 
Vaag MARGARIAN (RUS)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Hasan Basri YILDIRIM (TUR)
Vitalii ANDRIIOVYCH (UKR)

87kg
Nazarshah FATULLAYEV (AZE)
Anton KURS (BLR)
Yoan Danielov DIMITROV (BUL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Toni Heikki Herman METSOMAEKI (FIN)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Dariusz Attila VITEK (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU) 
Gazi KHALILOV (RUS)
Zarko DICKOV (SRB)
Aleksandar Georgije STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)

97kg
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Dzmitry KAMINSKI (BLR)
Ondrej DADAK (CZE)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Jan ZIRN (GER) 
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Robert ERSEK (HUN)
Marcel Adam KASPEREK (POL) 
Ruslan BEKUZAROV (RUS)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Ibrahim TIGCI (TUR)
Vladen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Bopembe Arsen SYCHEV (BLR)
Ante MILKOVIC (CRO)
Artur VITITIN (EST)
Konsta Johannes MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER) 
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL) 
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU) 
Oleg Kahaberovitch AGAKHANOV (RUS)
Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB)
Osman YILDIRIM (TUR)
Vladyslav KOVALENKO (UKR)


Budapest bronze medalist Oksana LIVACH (UKR) is set to compete at 50kg the U23 Euro championships. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

Women's Wrestling 
50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Bianka RECZI (HUN)
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR)
Katarzyna KAMINSKA (POL) 
Maria Alexandra CIOCLEA (ROU) 
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Katsiaryna PICHKOUSKAYA (BLR)
Kremena Krasimirova PETROVA (BUL)
Annika WENDLE (GER) 
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL) 
Suzanna Georgiana SEICARIU (ROU) 
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR)

55kg
Jeannie Agnes KESSLER (AUT) 
Darya SINKAVETS (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Ellen RIESTERER (GER) 
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL) 
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) 
Viktoriia VAULINA (RUS)
Pia KOCBEK (SLO)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO (UKR)

57kg
Valeryia YARMOLA (BLR)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER) 
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL) 
Aleksandra NITSENKO (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)


Reinging junior world champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) will try to improve on her U23 Euro runner-up finishes from the past two season. She'll wrestle at 59kg.  (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne) 

59kg
Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) 
Zelfira SADRADDINOVA (RUS)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Emma Margareta Charlotte JOHANSSON (SWE)
Hatice Ece TEKIN (TUR)
Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luzie MANZKE (GER) 
Daria BOBRULKO (RUS)
Maria JUHASZOVA (SVK) 
Derya BAYHAN (TUR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)

65kg
Kathrin MATHIS (AUT) 
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Veranika EISMANT (BLR)
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU) 
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Elin Elisabeth FORSBERG (SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR)


Russia's four-time age-group world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) will try to imporve on her U23 Euro runner-up finish from a year ago. She's entered at 68kg.  (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

68kg
Jeyla NAGHIZADE (AZE)
Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL) 
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU) 
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Beste ALTUG (TUR)
Yelyzaveta TISKAROVA SAIDAKOVA (UKR)

76kg
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Francy RAEDELT (GER) 
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Diana Elena VLASCEANU (ROU) 
Daria SHISTEROVA (RUS)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Romana VOVCHAK (UKR)

SCHEDULE
Sunday (March 3)
 
17:00 - Draw GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Monday (March 4)
9:30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18:00 - Semi Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Tuesday (March 5) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
9:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
14:30 - Draw WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
16:45 - Opening Ceremony
17:15 - Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg

Wednesday (March 6) 
9:30 - Weigh-in GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
9:45 -  Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
11:30 - Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
14:00 - Draw WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg 
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
18: 00 - Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg

Thursday (March 7)
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
18: 00 - Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg

Friday (March 8) 
9:30 - Weigh-in WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
11:30 - Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
14:00 - Draw FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
18: 00 -  Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg

Saturday (March 9) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
9:45 - Medical examination & Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
11:30 - Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
17:15 - Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18: 00 -  Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg

Sunday (March 10) 
9:30 - Weigh-in FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
16:00 - Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
18:00 - Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships: Rise of Sujeet Fuels India’s 65kg Gold Hopes

By Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 4) -- When SUJEET (IND) steps on the mat at the Asian Championships in Bishkek on Friday, he will carry hopes of a country looking for an Asian champion in a Freestyle weight class other than 57kg for the past seven years.

The 23-year-old is unbeaten this year, winning gold medals at the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, making him the favorite to win gold at 65kg in Bishkek. The last time India won a gold medal at the Asian Championships was 2019 when Bajrang PUNIA (IND) won in Xi'an, China.

"I don't think much about anything," Sujeet says. "I say the name of the God and step on the mat. I will do the same at the Asian Championships.

"I am happy that I wrestle at 65kg because India has a decent history at 65kg. I will also try to carry it forward."

The 65kg field in Bishkek includes returning 61kg Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) who is moving up one weight. Suda's ability to score at any time in a bout puts him as the biggest threat against Sujeet.

World bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) is another strong competitor for Sujeet. The Indian enjoys a 4-0 head-to-head record against the Uzbekistan wrestler but at last year's Asian Championships, Sujeet pulled out of his bronze medal bout against Jalolov due to an injury.

Another tough competitor for Sujeet can be Peyman NEMATI (IRI). The two wrestled in the final of the Zagreb Open and the Iranian managed to keep Sujeet quiet despite losing 3-0. He will be keen to avenge that loss and win gold for Iran.

Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), a world bronze medalist at 70kg in 2024, can spring a surprise and so can former U17 world champion Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ).

Early Start

Hailing from village Imlota, Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, a state that produces majority of wrestlers in India, Sujeet was introduced to wrestling in his village.

"There was an old akhada [training school] in my village so I used to go there," he says. "No coach had formal experience as such and I used to lose at the district level. I remember I lost in 2019 at the state level."

While there was little history of wrestling in the village itself, Sujeet's father Dayanand KALKAL was a national-level wrestler and was keen for his son to pick the sport as well. Till 2020, Sujeet continued training in the village.

"I was decent in studies," he says. "I balanced it with wrestling but after school, it was all wrestling. My village was very supportive of my wrestling. And then in 2021, I made the switch."

From south-west Haryana, Sujeet moved to Sonipat, a district in Haryana 60 kilometers north of New Delhi. With more experienced training partners, Sujeet could feel the improvements in his wrestling.

"The shift in 2021 to Sonipat changed my wrestling," he says. "My wrestling matured and the other wrestlers had international experience so it helped me in all aspects."

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND), third from left, won a bronze medal at the 2022 U20 World Championships in Sofia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In just one year, Sujeet made the U20 Indian team and was on his way to Bulgaria for the World Championships. He lost to Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) in the semifinals but won a bronze medal at 65kg, his first in international wrestling on debut.

"I was happy that I won a medal in my first-ever competition despite it being bronze," he says. "My wrestling was different than my opponents. I had never experienced that. But slowly I got used to it."

The biggest challenge for Sujeet was the vast difference in wrestling between junior and senior levels.

"When you shift from junior to senior, there is a lot of difference from power to technique," he says. "Opponents study you a lot once you are consistently competing. Everyone studies each other but I stick to my techniques."

Senior Career

Sujeet made the required adjustments and won the senior nationals in India to make the team with a hope to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. But that journey ended in a heartbreak.

At the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Sujeet failed to reach the competition due to floods at the Dubai airport. A month later at the World Olympic Qualifiers in Istanbul, Sujeet squandered a 2-0 lead against Zain RETHERFORD (USA) and missed out on a ticket to Paris.

"My father says do not celebrate too much when you win, don't be disheartened when you lose, balance it," he says. "So I try to keep it balanced. I don't sulk when I lose. I think about it a little and then move on, sit with my friends and try to see what I can improve."

In need of training partners who could challenge him with different styles, Sujeet spent a few months training overseas. He picked Mongolia, Russia and Japan, and picked a few details from the sparring sessions. He also realized that depending on the renowned Indian conditioning will not be enough to win medals at the world level.

"In India, the training lasts long, usually 3-4 hours," he says. "In Japan, they have smaller training sessions with focus on speed. Russia also has longer sessions with focus on scrambles and bouts.

"Our stamina comes from the longer trainings which are also very hard. The Indian sit-ups are quite different. Others also have unique ways to train but they focus on their own styles. But we ultimately work hard for longer bouts."

Sujeet ended 2024 with a bronze medal at 70kg at the U23 World Championships.

For the majority of 2025, he remained an under-the-radar wrestler. He won the Ranking Series event in Budapest but was far off from being a medal threat at the September World Championships. However, a bout against Olympic silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) at the World Championships caught the attention of the fans.

Though he lost 6-5, Sujeet was surprisingly the only wrestler who troubled Amouzad, the eventual world champion, in Zagreb.

"It was my first bout so I was all over the place and he was clearly stronger than me," he recalls. "May be next time I will be calmer. I took too much pressure on myself to win a medal and that showed in my bout against Real WOODS (USA)."

Woods beat Sujeet in repechage after an initial flurry of turns and then defended his lead to win 7-5. Sujeet returned home empty-handed.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND), second from left, as the U23 world champion in 2025. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Unbeaten Streak

But in a month's time, Sujeet would make amends and win the U23 world title with a stunning series of win over former U23 world champion Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, former U20 world champion Yuto NISHUCHI (JPN) in semifinals and Jalolov, who had won bronze in Zagreb, 10-0 in the final. He scored in the final 10 seconds in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

"At the U23 Worlds, I did not care much about the draw," he says. "I think I can manage to score at any moment. I do panic but I try to remain calm. I like going for the sweep and catch both legs to score points."

The Asian Championships will be a huge test of Sujeet's recent form and skill. A gold in Bishkek can put him in the top-tier of 65kg. Does he have the class to win in Bishkek and beyond?

"My wrestling is going good," he says. "Some win via technique, some win by speed. I personally feel my wrestling is good to win here."