Under-23 World Wrestling Championships: Chirag Chikkara clinches gold as India shines with nine medals

Chirag Chikkara wins U23 world championship gold as India secures nine medals in Tirana, including silver and bronze.

Chirag Chikkara became the Under-23 world champion as India capped a rich haul of nine medals, including a gold and silver each, at the age group tournament in Tirana.

Chikkara, competing in the men's freestyle 57kg category, eked out a narrow 4-3 in the closing seconds of the final win over Abdymalik Karachov of Kyrgyzstan.

He becomes the second Indian man, after Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, to win the gold at the U23 Championships.

Sehrawat had achieved the feat in the same category in the 2022 edition of the meet while Reetika Hooda had become the first Indian woman to bag a gold at the tournament when she won in the 76kg category last year.

Ravi Kumar Dahiya had also won a silver in the U23 World Championships in 2018.

Chikkara reached the final after a series of dominant performances, defeating Gaukoto Ozawa 6-1 in the pre-quarterfinals, Iunus Iavbatirov 12-2 in the last eight stage and Allan Oralbek 8-0 in the semifinals.

India's medal haul in the men’s freestyle category also included two bronze medals, placing the nation fourth in the team standings with 82 points, trailing Iran (158), Japan (102), and Azerbaijan (100).