India’s Greco-Roman wrestling squad made a strong comeback on the final day of the ‘Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial’, part of the 4th Ranking Series in Budapest, Hungary. After a disappointing start, where no Indian wrestler reached the medal rounds, the final day saw Sumit and Anil Mor earning silver and bronze medals, respectively, marking a significant improvement in the squad’s performance.
Sumit Clinches Silver
Emerging talent Sumit, the current Under-23 Asian Champion, displayed a stellar performance in the 60 kg weight category to secure the silver medal. After receiving a bye in the qualification round, Sumit dominated his opponents, winning each bout with ease. In the opening round, he defeated Sadyk Lalaev (UWW) 9-3, followed by a fall victory over Dahyun Kim of Korea (7-4) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he showed technical superiority over Kazakh wrestler Galym Kabdunassarov, winning 10-1.
In the gold medal match, Sumit faced the reigning European and World Champion, Nihat Zahid Mammadli of Azerbaijan. Although Sumit fought hard, Mammadli showcased his experience and composure. Despite some tense moments in the first period, Mammadli took control in the second period with a takedown and managed to win the bout 5-1, leaving Sumit with a well-earned silver.
Anil Mor Wins Bronze
Anil Mor, who had previously earned silver at the Yasar Dogu International Tournament in June 2025, added another medal to his collection with a bronze in the 55 kg category. After a loss to Emin Sefershaev (UWW) in his opening bout, Mor made a comeback through the repechage rounds. He defeated Moldova's Atrium Deleanu 7-0 in a dominant performance, then secured his bronze by outclassing Ikhtiyor Botirov of Uzbekistan 7-4 in the medal match.
Indian Women Wrestlers Dominate
The Indian women's wrestling team also continued their dominance, topping the overall medal tally just a day earlier, ahead of the USA and Hungary. Their strong performances on the international stage have sparked expectations of multiple medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, with experts predicting 3-4 medals from India’s women wrestlers.
India’s Greco-Roman wrestling squad's strong showing in Budapest signifies the continued progress of the country’s wrestling program, with emerging stars like Sumit and Anil Mor leading the charge towards future success on the global stage.
