Chirag Chikkara shone brightly at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2024, where he secured the only gold medal for India in the men’s 57 kg freestyle category. This championship, held from October 21 to 27 in Tirana, Albania, witnessed a strong performance from the Indian wrestling contingent, culminating in a total of nine medals: one gold, one silver, and seven bronze.
Chirag’s gold medal victory is particularly significant as it marks only the third time an Indian wrestler has claimed the top spot at this prestigious event. The previous gold medalists include Olympic medalist Aman Sehrawat, who won in the same weight class in 2022, and Reetika Hooda, who topped the women’s 76 kg category in 2023. This achievement places Chirag in esteemed company and highlights his potential for future international competitions.
In addition to Chirag's gold, Anjli contributed to India's medal tally by winning silver in the women’s 59 kg category. Monika continued her successful run in the tournament by capturing bronze in the women’s 68 kg division, following her previous bronze in the 65 kg category last year. Sujeet Kalkal, who has previously medaled at the U20 World Championships and competed in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers, also secured a bronze in the men’s 70 kg freestyle.
Another noteworthy achievement came from Vicky, who earned bronze in the men’s 97 kg category, making history as the first Indian to win a medal in the heavyweight division at the U23 World Championships. This accomplishment further emphasizes the growth of Indian wrestling on the global stage.
The full list of Indian medal winners at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2024 is as follows:
- Chirag Chikkara - Gold in Men’s Freestyle 57 kg
- Anjli - Silver in Women’s Freestyle 59 kg
- Shiksha - Bronze in Women’s Freestyle 65 kg
- Monika - Bronze in Women’s Freestyle 68 kg
- Neha Sharma - Bronze in Women’s Freestyle 57 kg
- Vishvajit More - Bronze in Men’s Greco-Roman 55 kg
- Vicky - Bronze in Men’s Freestyle 97 kg
- Sujeet Kalkal - Bronze in Men’s Freestyle 70 kg
- Abhishek Dhaka - Bronze in Men’s Freestyle 61 kg
The championships featured competitions across ten weight categories in both men’s and women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. A total of 664 grapplers from around the world participated, including 240 in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman, and 184 in women’s freestyle. The Indian wrestling team showcased their prowess, matching their impressive tally from the previous year's U23 World Championships, where they also earned nine medals, comprising one gold, two silvers, and six bronzes.
This strong performance at the U23 World Wrestling Championships not only highlights the talent and dedication of the Indian wrestlers but also sets a promising tone for future competitions as they aim to continue building on their success on the international stage.
