Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Win Sets Up World Championships Clash
Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Ends With Victory in Lucknow
World No. 2 Sujeet Kalkal won the 65kg freestyle category at the national wrestling selection trials in Lucknow on Tuesday, strengthening his position ahead of the Senior World Wrestling Championships 2026. The Haryana wrestler defeated Anuj Kumar 8-3 in the final to finish first in the category.
The trials were conducted as part of the Wrestling Federation of India鈥檚 process to select India鈥檚 squad for the World Championships, which will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1. Sujeet鈥檚 victory now puts him in line for the final stage of the selection process.
Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Comes Ahead of Asian Games
Sujeet is already part of India鈥檚 wrestling contingent for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Unlike the other Asian Games-bound wrestlers, the 23-year-old chose to compete in the World Championships trials before travelling to Japan.
Under the WFI鈥檚 two-stage selection system, Asian Games-bound wrestlers were allowed to skip the opening trial and face the winners at a later final trial. Sujeet was the only member of the Asian Games squad to participate in the initial stage.
His father and coach Dayanand Kalkal explained that the decision was taken to avoid another selection bout immediately after the Asian Games. With the World Championships beginning only weeks after the continental event, completing the selection process beforehand allows Sujeet to focus on the competition after returning from Japan.
Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Builds on Strong 2026 Form
The trial victory adds to an impressive run for Sujeet in 2026. United World Wrestling lists him as a 24-year-old senior freestyle wrestler in the 65kg category, with 15 wins and one loss in the season. He won the Senior Asian Championships, as well as the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo tournaments earlier this year.
According to The New Indian Express, Sujeet has won three gold medals in four competitions this year. Across 11 bouts, he has scored 96 points while conceding only seven, underlining his consistency on the mat.
His recent record also includes a gold medal at the 2025 U23 World Championships, while he finished eighth at the 2025 Senior World Championships. He had remained unbeaten since the 2025 senior Worlds until an injury ended his Mongolia Open campaign without him taking to the mat.
Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Sets Up World Championships Challenge
The next stage will be important because Sujeet still has to face the Asian Games selection pathway in the final World Championships trial. His place at the Worlds will therefore be determined through the final selection process involving the relevant Asian Games-bound wrestler.
The World Championships themselves will also carry significance beyond the tournament. Sujeet鈥檚 father said the event can help wrestlers gain seeding for future Olympic qualification events, potentially giving higher-ranked competitors more favourable draws.
Sujeet 65kg Selection Trial Precedes Tough Asian Games Test
Sujeet will first have to manage the Asian Games schedule before turning his attention fully towards the Worlds. He currently stands at No. 2 in the world at 65kg, with Iran鈥檚 Rahman Amouzadkhalili ranked No. 1 but set to skip the Asian Games to focus on the World Championships.
At the Asian Games, Uzbekistan鈥檚 Umidjon Jalolov and Japan鈥檚 Kotaro Kiyooka are among the major names in the field. Sujeet has already beaten Jalolov in the Senior Asian Championships final and also defeated him 10-0 in the 2025 U23 World Championships final.
With the Asian Games and World Championships coming in quick succession, Sujeet鈥檚 trial win gives him an important step forward in managing his qualification pathway while keeping his focus on two major international competitions.
