Shattering a streak that had become the hallmark of Indian wrestling’s rising generation, Sujeet Kalkal’s dominant 24-match winning run came to a sudden, heart-wrenching halt on Thursday. The 65kg star, widely viewed as a premier medal prospect, saw his campaign at the World Championships end in the quarterfinals, falling to Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiev on criteria in a match that kept spectators on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The defeat serves as a sobering reality check for Kalkal, who had spent the last twelve months building a reputation of near-invincibility. With seven titles under his belt—including prestigious victories at the U23 World Championships, the 2026 Asian Championships, and the Asian Games—Kalkal had entered this tournament carrying the weight of expectation. His loss, ironically against the very man he had famously bested in the Asian Games final, leaves India still waiting for its next senior World Champion in the tradition of the legendary Sushil Kumar, who remains the only Indian to have reached that pinnacle back in 2010.
Kudiev turns the tables on Sujeet
The narrative of this quarterfinal was steeped in familiarity. Just months ago, Kalkal had authored a miracle against Kudiev, overcoming a 2-9 deficit to storm back and capture gold. On Thursday, however, the momentum shifted decisively in favor of the Tajik wrestler.
The match began with technical tension. Kalkal conceded an early point for passivity but responded with a gritty takedown just five seconds before the first period concluded, seizing a 2-1 lead. When Kudiev was subsequently penalized for his own passivity, Kalkal looked to be in the driver’s seat with a 3-1 advantage.
The closing 30 seconds proved to be the undoing of the Indian campaign. In a frantic scramble near the boundary, Kalkal attempted to force a takedown, but the effort was neutralized by a sharp counter from Kudiev. The initial officiating confusion saw the mat referee deny Kalkal points while the chair umpire awarded them, only to be followed by a successful challenge from the Tajik corner. The review process was clinical: it canceled Kalkal’s projected points, awarded two to Kudiev for the defensive counter, and added a point for a step-out. With the score locked at 3-3, the criteria rules favored Kudiev, who held the final point advantage. Kalkal pushed desperately for a closing move, but the Tajik defense remained ironclad as time expired.
A dominant opening squandered
The tragedy of the result is magnified by the ease with which Kalkal had navigated his early bracket. He opened his account with a commanding 12-1 technical superiority victory over Switzerland’s Nino Leutert, followed by a disciplined 4-0 shutout of Belarus’ Islam Guseinov. Having looked untouchable in the preliminary rounds, the quarterfinal exit feels particularly bitter for the wrestler who had not tasted defeat since the repechage round of last year’s Zagreb World Championships.
Mixed fortunes for the Indian contingent
While the spotlight fell on the heartbreak in the 65kg division, the broader Indian squad navigated a rollercoaster day on the mats in other categories.
In the women’s division, Tanu Sharma displayed remarkable resilience. After an early setback, she battled through the repechage round to secure a thrilling 5-4 victory over Tunisia’s Zainab Sghaier. This win has kept her title aspirations alive as she prepares for a high-stakes bronze medal bout. On the flip side, the tournament came to an early end for Srishti, who saw her run in the 68kg category terminated by American powerhouse Kennedy Blades.
The most consistent performance of the day came from veteran Manisha Bhanwala. Dominating the women’s 59kg division, Bhanwala dispatched Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu with a decisive 6-0 scoreline in the semifinals. This followed a statement victory earlier in the day, where she pinned Canada’s Laurence Beauregard by fall, signaling her intent to bring hardware back to India.
Elsewhere, the results were tempered by inconsistencies. Ahilya Shinde showcased her potential in the 55kg category with an 8-1 opening win over Cuba’s Yaynelis Sanz Verdecia, but she was unable to protect a 3-0 lead against Turkey’s Tuba Demir, ultimately bowing out in a 6-9 defeat.
The men’s 97kg category also provided a glimpse of promise before the inevitable sting of elimination. Vicky tore through his initial matches, dismantling Sarco Colmenarez 8-2 and blanking Radu Letter 10-0. However, the path to the podium proved too steep in the quarterfinals, where he was outclassed by Japan’s Arash Yoshida, who secured a 12-2 victory by technical superiority.
As the sun sets on Thursday’s action, the Indian camp is left to reflect on what could have been. For Sujeet Kalkal, the winning streak is over, but for a wrestler of his pedigree, the journey to the top of the world podium is clearly far from finished. The attention now turns to the remaining medal bouts, where India’s prospects in the women’s division hold the key to a successful campaign.
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