Indian wrestlers concluded their campaign at the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Ranking Series in Budapest with an impressive haul of nine medals, including two gold medals each for Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal, and the women’s team clinching the overall title.
India Dominates in Budapest
The Indian wrestling contingent showcased a strong performance at the prestigious Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial 2025 Ranking Series in Budapest, securing a total of nine medals across various categories.
The women’s team, in particular, was exceptional, earning the team title with 130 points, outperforming the USA. Their success was built on two gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
Men’s freestyle wrestlers contributed a gold and a bronze, while the men’s Greco-Roman category added a solitary silver medal to the nation’s tally.
Antim Panghal Leads Women’s Gold Rush
In women’s wrestling, Olympian Antim Panghal continued her impressive form by securing the gold medal in the 53kg category. She defeated Russia’s Natalia Malysheva with a 7-4 victory in the final.
This win marks Antim’s second consecutive Ranking Series gold, following her triumph at the Ulaanbaatar Open last month, solidifying her status as a top contender.
Youngster Harshita added another gold for India in the 72kg category with a dominant 10-0 technical superiority win over four-time Asian champion Zhamila Bakbergenova of Kazakhstan.
More Medals for Indian Women
Priya Malik claimed a silver medal in the 76kg category, while Neha Sangwan also secured silver in the 57kg category, though she was defeated by Olympic champion Helen Maroulis of the USA via pinfall.
The bronze medals were won by Neelam in the 50kg category, after defeating Kseniya Stankevich of Belarus, and Asian champion Manisha Bhanwala in the 62kg category.
Sujeet Kalkal Shines in Men’s Freestyle
Sujeet Kalkal was the standout performer in men’s freestyle, clinching the 65kg gold medal. His path to gold included stunning victories, such as an 11-0 technical superiority win over 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medallist Islam Dudaev of Albania in his opening bout.
He continued his dominant run, defeating European silver medallist Khazmat Arsamerzouev of France and European bronze medallist Vazgen Tevanyan of Armenia en route to the final.
Sujeet secured his first senior medal of 2025 by defeating European bronze medallist Ali Rahimzade of Azerbaijan 5-1 in the final.
In the 57kg category, Rahul also contributed to the medal count by winning a bronze, defeating Germany’s Niklas Stechele 4-0.
Greco-Roman Success
In the men’s Greco-Roman category, Sumit was the lone medallist for India, earning a silver medal in the 60kg division. He was defeated by European champion Nihat Mammadli of Azerbaijan 1-5 in a hard-fought final.
What’s Next for Indian Wrestling?
The Budapest Ranking Series served as the final event on the 2025 calendar to earn crucial ranking points. These points are vital as they will influence the seeding for the upcoming World Wrestling Championships, scheduled to be held in Zagreb, Croatia, in September.
- India won a total of nine medals at the Budapest Ranking Series.
- The Indian women’s wrestling team secured the overall team title.
- Antim Panghal (53kg) and Harshita (72kg) won gold in women’s wrestling.
- Sujeet Kalkal (65kg) earned gold in men’s freestyle.
- The event was crucial for gaining ranking points for the World Championships.
