Deepak Punia, an experienced wrestler and Asian Games silver medallist, showcased his skills with a commanding performance at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) selection trials.
The federation finalised a strong men's wrestling team for the 2026 Asian Games during the trials held at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Lucknow on Sunday.
Joining Punia in the Indian contingent are World No. 1 Sujeet Kalkal, Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, and 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist Sunil Kumar. Sunil Kumar will lead the Greco-Roman unit, which has been progressing following impressive results at the recent Asian Championships, according to a WFI press release.
Out of 169 wrestlers competing for selection, Aman Sehrawat secured his place with an 11-1 win against Rahul in the 57kg final. Sujeet Kalkal earned his spot with a 2-0 victory over Vishal Kaliramana in the 65kg category. Deepak Punia, primarily competing in the 86kg division, claimed the 97kg berth after defeating Jointy Kumar 8-0, maintaining his strong form.
Additional freestyle qualifiers include Sagar Jaglan, who won the 74kg final 8-6 against Jaideep, Mukul Dahiya, who took the 86kg berth with a 4-2 win over Amit, and Rajat Rahal, who secured the 125kg place with a 10-6 victory against Dinesh. The trials demonstrated significant depth of talent and competitive bouts across weight classes.
WFI President Sanjay Singh congratulated the qualifiers, noting the selection trials displayed a strong mix of experienced athletes and emerging talent. He expressed confidence that this combination would benefit the team at the Asian Games. "I congratulate all the wrestlers who have earned their place in the Indian squad through a highly competitive selection process. The trials reflected the perfect blend of experienced campaigners and emerging young talent, which is a testament to the depth and strength of Indian wrestling today. We are confident that this balance of youth and experience will serve the team well as they prepare for the Asian Games, and I am certain our wrestlers will compete with determination, uphold the nation's pride, and strive for podium finishes on the continental stage," he said.
In the Greco-Roman events, multiple-time Asian Championships medallist and 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist Sunil Kumar confirmed his position in the 87kg category with a 3-1 victory over Rohit Bura, leading the discipline's unit into the Games.
The Greco-Roman squad also includes Sumit, who won the 60kg category 9-5 against Chetan; Deepak, who claimed the 67kg spot by pinning Neeraj after a 10-6 contest; Aman, who narrowly defeated Vijay 6-5 for the 77kg berth; Nitesh Kumar, who secured the 97kg place with an 8-0 triumph over Abhimanu; and Deepanshu, who locked in the 130kg category with a 5-1 victory over Ronak.
With the men's squad finalised, the wrestlers will enter an intensive national preparatory camp to refine their strategies ahead of the Asian Games. The team aims to enhance India's historic wrestling medal tally of 65 at the Asian Games and seek to surpass the nation's previous best single-edition medal record at the continental competition.