India Eyes First Women’s Wrestling World Champion as Neelam and Kajal Reach Finals
India Wrestling 2026: Neelam and Kajal Reach World Finals
India is on the verge of a historic achievement at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, after Neelam and Kajal secured places in the women’s wrestling finals on October 27. Both Indian wrestlers will compete for gold on Wednesday, October 28, giving the country two opportunities to win its first-ever senior women’s wrestling world title.
Neelam reached the final in the 50kg category with a convincing 7-3 victory over Kazakhstan’s Zeinep Bayanova. Kajal, meanwhile, produced an impressive comeback in the 76kg semifinal, defeating returning world silver medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan 10-7.
The results have placed India in a promising position at the championships, which are being held in Astana from October 24 to November 1. Neelam and Kajal will now face formidable opponents in their respective gold-medal bouts as they attempt to turn their semifinal victories into world titles.
Neelam Defeats Bayanova to Reach the 50kg Final
Neelam delivered a strong performance against Kazakhstan’s Zeinep Bayanova to secure her place in the women’s 50kg final. The Indian wrestler won 7-3 after controlling important exchanges and producing a crucial four-point throw during the semifinal.
Neelam initially took a 2-1 lead with a double-leg attack that brought Bayanova down for two points. India challenged the scoring, seeking four points, but the challenge was unsuccessful and Bayanova received an additional point.
Neelam responded decisively by executing a four-point throw to extend her advantage to 6-1. A stepout then increased her lead to 7-1 before Bayanova scored a late takedown. The late points were not enough to change the outcome, and Neelam completed a 7-3 victory.
Her win earned her a place in the 50kg final, where she will face Japan’s Yui Susaki, a four-time world champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist.
Susaki reached the final after defeating China’s Ziqi Feng 9-0 in the other semifinal. The Japanese wrestler has been particularly impressive in Astana, recording her fourth consecutive victory without conceding a point at the time of her semifinal.
Neelam will therefore face a major challenge in the gold-medal bout, but her performance against Bayanova has given India a valuable opportunity to compete for the world title.
Kajal Stuns Medet Kyzy with a 10-7 Comeback
Kajal produced one of the most notable performances for India by defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy 10-7 in the women’s 76kg semifinal.
The 18-year-old Indian, who is a reigning U20 world champion, faced a difficult situation after falling behind 7-1. Medet Kyzy hit a four-point headlock throw before scoring two points for exposure, putting Kajal under considerable pressure. India challenged the exposure points, but the challenge was unsuccessful, giving Medet Kyzy another point.
However, Kajal changed the momentum in the second period. As her opponent began to tire, the Indian wrestler increased her attacking pressure and scored a series of takedowns. Her comeback gathered pace as she steadily reduced the deficit before completing a remarkable 10-7 victory.
The win secured Kajal’s place in the 76kg final and underlined her ability to recover under pressure against an experienced international opponent.
Kajal will now face Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva, the reigning European champion, for the gold medal. Alpyeyeva reached the final after defeating Türkiye’s Kadriye Kocak Aksoy 11-0.
With a world title at stake, Kajal will look to carry the confidence from her comeback into the final.
India’s Historic Opportunity at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships
Neelam and Kajal’s progress is significant for Indian women’s wrestling. Neelam became only the second Indian woman to reach a senior World Championships final, following Anshu Malik, who achieved the feat in 2021 in Oslo. Kajal later became the third Indian woman to reach a final at the competition.
Anshu Malik won silver in the women’s 57kg category in 2021, becoming the first Indian woman to claim a World Championships silver medal. India has since produced several women’s wrestling world medallists, but a senior world title in women’s wrestling remains elusive.
The two finalists now have an opportunity to change that record. Neelam will face a highly accomplished opponent in Susaki, while Kajal must overcome European champion Alpyeyeva.
Their performances also demonstrate the growing depth of India’s women’s wrestling programme, with Kajal’s success particularly notable given her age and her ability to recover from a substantial deficit in the semifinal.
Other Key Results from Women’s Wrestling
The women’s competition in Astana also produced notable results in the 57kg and 65kg categories.
At 57kg, Japan’s Sena Nagamoto defeated Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova 11-0 to reach the final. China’s Kexin Hong also secured a place in the gold-medal bout after beating Belarus’ Iryna Kurachkina 10-0.
Nagamoto’s run included a significant quarterfinal victory over defending world champion Helen Maroulis of the United States. The Japanese wrestler won that contest 4-2 after scoring a decisive takedown in the closing seconds.
In the 65kg category, Moldova’s Irina Ringaci reached the final after defeating Mongolia’s Enkhjin Tuvshinjar gal by fall. Russia’s Alina Kasabieva also advanced to the final with an 8-4 victory over Ukraine’s Solomiia Vynnyk.
These results added to an eventful day of women’s wrestling, with several contenders securing opportunities to fight for world titles.
What’s Next for Neelam and Kajal?
The focus now shifts to Wednesday’s finals, where both Indian wrestlers will have the chance to make history.
Neelam faces four-time world champion Yui Susaki in the 50kg final, while Kajal takes on European champion Anastasiya Alpyeyeva in the 76kg category. Both opponents have demonstrated their quality throughout the competition, making the upcoming bouts demanding tests for the Indian wrestlers.
India will be hoping that the two finalists can maintain their momentum and convert their semifinal victories into gold medals. Their performances have already secured a significant milestone for the country, but winning the finals would take Indian women’s wrestling into new territory.
With two gold-medal opportunities awaiting India, the finals promise to be among the most important bouts for the Indian contingent at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships.
