India’s U23 World Wrestling Triumph: A Blueprint for LA 2028 and the Future of Global Dominance

Wrestling

India’s performance at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2025 in Novi Sad, Serbia, marks a turning point in the nation’s high-performance sporting journey.

In a field dominated for decades by Japan, the U.S., and traditional European powers, India captured the Women’s Freestyle Team Title with 121 points, edging Japan (117) and the United States (106) to secure one of the most historic team wins in Indian wrestling.

This victory among only five team world titles ever won by India across all age groups establishes the nation’s emerging pipeline as a legitimate global force. The campaign delivered nine medals in total: one gold, two silver, and six bronze. Crucially, the women’s team contributed seven of these medals (2 silver, 5 bronze), proving that the triumph was not driven by a solitary star but by systemic depth and a stable, high-performing structure. The crown jewel of the men’s campaign, however, came from Sujeet Kalkal, whose gold in the 65 kg category served as the standout individual performance of the entire Indian contingent.