Three Indians in U23 Wrestling semifinals

Indian women wrestlers put up a commanding performance at the U23 World Championships on Thursday, with Nishu, Pulkit, and Srishti advancing to the semifinals in their respective weight categories. The trio displayed dominance and composure, signaling India’s growing strength in women’s wrestling on the global stage.

Nishu (55kg) made a statement in her opening bouts, pinning Japan’s Moe Kiyooka while leading 6-2 and following it up with a 10-1 win over Kira Solobchuk to secure her semifinal spot.

Pulkit (65kg) was equally impressive, achieving two wins by technical superiority, demonstrating focus and control throughout her matches. Srishti, competing in the 68kg category, showcased her skill with a technical superiority win over Canada’s Angelina Ellis Toddington (12-2), before defeating Ukraine’s Manola Skobelska 6-3 in a tightly fought quarterfinal.

Not all Indian wrestlers made it to the semifinals. Neha Sharma (57kg) reached the quarterfinals but fell to Japan’s Akari Fujinama by technical superiority, after earlier victories over Romania’s Georgiana Lirca (6-0) and Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova (5-0). Hanny Kumari (50kg) and Diksha Malik (72kg) exited the competition, while Priya competed for a bronze medal in the 76kg category.

With three semifinal berths secured, India remains a strong contender at the U23 World Championships, keeping hopes high for medals across multiple categories.