India has produced some great wrestlers in recent years. They have won medals in recent times for the nation and performed well in the major events. There also has been controversy surrounding the athletes for being sexually harassed by the ministers. Now, Chirag Chikkara became only the third Indian to win the Under-23 global championship, as India capped a rich collection of nine medals, including a gold and silver apiece.
At the age group event in Tirana, Albania. Chirag Chikkara, competing in the men’s freestyle 57kg category, defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Abdymalik Karachov by a slim 4-3 margin in the final seconds. He becomes the second Indian to win gold at the U23 Championships, following bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat from the Paris Olympics. Sehrawat accomplished the same feat in the 2022 edition of the meet.
Reetika Hooda became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the tournament last year, winning in the 76kg division. Ravi Kumar Dahiya has also won silver at the U23 World Championships in 2018. Chirag Chikkara advanced to the final after defeating Gaukoto Ozawa 6-1 in the pre-quarterfinals, Iunus Iavbatirov 12-2 in the last eight, and Allan Oralbek 8-0 in the semifinals.
India’s rising wrestlers forge a new era
Chirag has been showcasing an immense mentality at a young age. Can be the future of India in Wrestling? He can be the next wrestling star for India in the upcoming days. If groomed properly and given proper infrastructural support he can win medals in major tournaments for India. Abhishek Dhaka had previously earned a bronze medal as India completed with four medals (one gold and three bronze), improving on their previous year’s result of two bronze medals in the freestyle category.
The Indian women’s wrestling squad previously excelled, winning one silver and three bronze medals: Anjli won silver in the 59kg division, while Neha Sharma (57kg), Shiksha (65kg), and Monika (68kg) all won bronze. Vishvajit More also won bronze in the men’s 55kg Greco-Roman division, closing off India’s outstanding medal total at the championships.
