Chirag Chikkara, an 18-year-old wrestling prodigy from India, claimed the gold medal.
In the men’s 57kg category at the U23 World Wrestling Championship, making history on Sunday in Tirana, Albania. In a thrilling final match, Chirag narrowly defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Abdymalik Karachov 4-3 to secure his place as only the second Indian male wrestler ever to win gold at the U23 World Championships.
Following in the footsteps of Aman Sehrawat, who won India’s first male U23 wrestling title in 2022, Chirag’s victory marks another milestone for Indian wrestling on the world stage. India’s Reetika Hooda also achieved historic success in 2023, becoming the first Indian woman to capture gold at the U23 World Championships.
The young wrestler dominated the competition with tactical precision, beginning with a 6-1 victory over Japan’s Gatuko Ozawa in the first round. He continued to outmaneuver his opponents, defeating Iunus Iavbatirov of Azerbaijan with an impressive 12-2 score in the quarter-final, before overcoming Kazakhstan’s Allan Oralbek in the semi-final to secure his place in the gold medal match.
In his journey to the top, Chirag displayed remarkable skill, first defeating Japan’s Gatuko Ozawa 6-1 in the opening round. He then continued his dominant streak with a 12-2 victory over Azerbaijan’s Iunus Iavbatirov in the quarter-final, solidifying his spot in the championship round.
India saw further success at the U23 World Wrestling Championships as Sujeet Kalkal and Vicky also secured bronze medals in their respective weight categories. Sujeet staged an impressive comeback in the men’s 70kg category, rallying from a 0-4 deficit to claim a 13-4 victory over Tajikistan’s Muhammad Akhmedov. Vicky, competing in the men’s 97kg category, showcased his strength and skill by defeating Ukraine’s Ivan Prymachenko, a junior world silver medallist and European junior gold medallist, with a score of 7-2.
Chirag’s gold medal marks a significant comeback, following a knee injury he suffered at the Under-16 National Championships in Haryana, which sidelined him from wrestling for three years. This U23 Championship was his first competitive event since his return, making his triumph even more remarkable. His victory places him alongside Aman Sehrawat, who won India’s first U23 men’s wrestling gold in 2022, and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, who claimed silver at the 2018 U23 Championships.