Two-time National champion Meenakshi dashed Olympian Antim Panghal’s dream of making the Indian squad for the Asian Wrestling Championships 2026. Meenakshi defeated Antim in the women’s 53kg selection trials final in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Meenakshi, a silver medal winner at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series last month, pinned two-time world championships medallist Antim for a memorable victory.
A tactical bout from Meenakshi saw her lead 6-2 heading into the final moments of the match and then pinned Antim on the mat to execute a victory by fall.
Antim has dominated the women’s 53kg division in India since taking over the division from Vinesh Phogat. She had earlier defeated Meenakshi in three different selection trials.
The Indian wrestling squad for the upcoming Asian Championships, which is scheduled in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, between April 6 and 12, was chosen following selection trials conducted on Tuesday.
The women’s competitions were held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in the Indian capital, while the Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle trials were held at the STC in Lucknow.
Under-23 world championship medallist Priya Malik was also on the wrong end of an upset as she conceded her spot in the women’s 76kg category to Kajal Dhochak.
Manisha Bhanwala, a gold medal winner at the 2025 Asian Wrestling Championships in the 62kg category, will return to the continental meet but will be seen competing in the 57kg.
The women’s 62kg spot will be held by world championships medallist Mansi Ahlawat.
The men’s division saw more expected result sheets.
Paris 2024 bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, interestingly, chose to fight in the non-Olympic 61kg category and secured a spot in the division.
The 57kg category – the weightclass in which Aman Sehrawat usually competes in and has won his Olympic bronze and a gold at the 2023 Asian Championships in – will be represented by Ankush.
In-form Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal, the reigning U23 world champion in the 65kg category, also made the cut. Sujeet has won gold medals at both the Zagreb and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournaments held this year.
The Greco-Roman squad is yet to be revealed.
India squad: Women’s freestyle 50kg: Neelam Sirohi. 53kg: Meenakshi. 55kg: Hanshika Lamba. 57kg: Manisha Bhanwala. 59kg: Neha Sangwan. 62kg: Mansi Ahlawat. 65kg: Monika. 68kg: Manshi Lather. 72kg: Harshitha. 76kg: Kajal Dhochak.
Men’s freestyle 57kg: Ankush. 61kg: Aman Sehrawat. 65kg: Sujeet Kalkal. 70kg: Abhimanyou. 74kg: Jaideep Narwal. 79kg: Sandeep Mann. 86kg: Mukul Dahiya. 92kg: Puneet Kumar. 97kg: Vicky. 125kg: Dinesh.
