Here’s a corrected and detailed summary of India’s record-breaking performance at the 2019 Wrestling World Championships held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan:
India delivered its best-ever performance at the Worlds, bagging five medals – a record haul for the country in a single edition.
Deepak Punia (Men’s Freestyle, 86 kg)
He reached the final but had to withdraw due to injury, thus settling for silver.
His performance made him the first Indian male wrestler in 18 years to reach a World Championship final.
Bajrang Punia (65 kg Freestyle)
Added another World bronze to his tally, showcasing consistency at the highest level.
Rahul Aware (61 kg Freestyle)
A surprise medalist, he fought brilliantly in the repechage rounds to clinch bronze.
Ravi Dahiya (57 kg Freestyle)
Burst onto the global stage with his maiden World Championship bronze, impressing with technical finesse and stamina.
Vinesh Phogat (Women’s Freestyle, 53 kg)
Became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a Worlds medal since 2012 (Geeta Phogat’s repechage appearance).
Her medal secured her a quota place for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
India ranked among the top nations in wrestling for the first time.
Olympic quotas were secured through top finishes (top 6 in each category).
Marked a generational shift with young wrestlers like Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia entering the elite level.
