Asian Games 2026: Sujeet Kalkal Wins Wrestling Gold in Men’s 65kg Freestyle After Stunning Comeback

October 2, 2026

Nishio: Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal staged a stunning comeback to defeat Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiyev 10-9 in the men’s freestyle 65kg final and win the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday.

Sujeet was trailing 2-9 for most of the final but produced a remarkable late rally, scoring eight consecutive points in the closing stages to turn the contest around and secure India’s wrestling gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

The 23-year-old Indian wrestler had already produced a strong run to reach the final, defeating opponents from Afghanistan and Iran before getting past Japan’s reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka in the semifinal.

Sujeet Overcomes 9-2 Deficit to Win Gold

Kudiyev made a strong start to the final and built a 9-2 lead, putting Sujeet under considerable pressure.

However, Sujeet refused to give up and began his fightback in the closing stages. He reduced the deficit with successive scoring moves before completing the turnaround with a series of takedowns.

The Indian eventually secured a 10-9 victory, winning the gold medal in dramatic fashion.

The victory came after Sujeet had already defeated Kudiyev 7-2 in the semifinal of the Asian Championships earlier this year.

Sujeet Defeats Olympic Champion in Semifinal

Before the final, Sujeet secured one of his biggest victories by defeating Japan’s reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka in the 65kg semifinal.

The bout ended 3-3, but Sujeet was declared the winner on criteria after scoring the final decisive point. The result sent him into the gold-medal bout against Kudiyev.

Earlier in the competition, Sujeet defeated Afghanistan’s Sayed Omar Zazai 13-3 by technical superiority before beating Iran’s Abbas Ebrahimzadehsavadkouhi 10-0 in the quarterfinal.

India’s First Wrestling Gold at Asian Games 2026

Sujeet’s triumph ended India’s wait for a wrestling gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. His victory also continues India’s strong record in the men’s 65kg category, where Yogeshwar Dutt won gold in 2014 and Bajrang Punia claimed the title in 2018.

Sujeet’s gold is also his first Asian Games gold medal, adding to a successful year that has already included his Asian Championships title.