Tirana (Albania): U23 world champion Sujeet Kalkal clinched the gold medal in the men’s 65kg freestyle category at the Muhamet Malo 2026 wrestling tournament. He topped the podium with four straight wins on technical superiority.
The 23-year-old Indian dominated Azerbaijan’s Rashid Babazade 10-0 in the final. He had a convincing 11-0 win over USA’s two-time Pan American champion Joseph McKenna in the semifinal after beating Nika Zakashvili of Georgia 10-0 in the quarter-finals and starting his campaign with a 16-4 victory over Endrio Avdyli of Albania.
This is his second straight gold medal in the 2026 UWW Ranking Series, following his Zagreb Open victory in Croatia earlier this month.
Sujeet warmed up with a 16-4 victory over Endrio Avdyli, who tossed the Indian for a four at the start of the bout. Nika Zakashvili (Georgia)) fell next, 10-0, before Sujeet defeated Joseph McKenna (USA), 11-0, the same scoreline as the one in the semifinals of the Zagreb Open.
Rashid, who pulled off an incredible buzzer-beating four-pointer in the semifinals against Vitali Arujau (USA) to win 16-13, failed to put up a fight in the final. Sujeet laced him to win 10-0 to capture a second straight Ranking Series gold medal.
Overall, this was Sujeet’s fourth gold medal in the UWW circuit, having clinched the top spot at the 2022 Zouhaier Sghaier and the 2025 Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial.
India’s Mohit Kumar, competing in the same category, could not make it past the qualifying round.
In the 57kg division, Ankush and Atish Todkar battled through repechage to reach the bronze medal bouts but faltered in their respective matches. Meanwhile, Sumit (57kg), Rahul (61kg), Siddharth (70kg), Parvinder (74kg) and Aryan (86kg) failed to reach the medal rounds in their respective weight divisions.
India sent a 48-member wrestling team for the Muhamet Malo 2026, with 16 each entered across the men’s freestyle, the women’s divisions and the Greco-Roman category.
IANS
Ranji Trophy: Dogra fined 50 percent match fee, receives two demerit points for head-butting Aneesh
Hubbali: Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra has been fined 50 percent of his match fee and handed two demerit points for head-butting Karnataka substitute fielder K.V. Aneesh during day...
ICC unveils Women’s T20 WC final schedule, India to begin campaign against Pakistan on Jun 14
Dubai: The ICC on Tuesday unveiled the final schedule of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, commencing on June 12 when host England squares off against Sri Lanka in...
Ranji Trophy: ‘Very calm’ Auqib Nabi eyes championship glory for Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi: In the Jammu and Kashmir dressing room buzzing with the nerves of playing their first-ever Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka in Hubbali, fast bowling spearhead Auqib Nabi is,...
We both have same goal of winning Super 8 clash: ‘Calm and professional’ Morkel brothers ready for India vs SA encounter
Ahmedabad: India's first Super 8s match in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday will be more than just a rematch...
Ahlawat and Sharma make cut as Sandhu misses out in Kenya
Nairobi: Veer Ahlawat and Shubhankar Sharma made the halfway cut in the 2026 Magical Kenya Open. Ahlawat, who played the full season last year, shott 67-67 and was 6-under for...
Arriving early helps adapting to Australia’s weather for AFC Women’s Asian Cup: India coach Amelia Valverde
New Delhi: India were the first among the 11 visiting teams to reach Australia ahead of the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026, touching down in Perth on February 11th, three...
Former India cricketers share Top 4 predictions for T20 WC
New Delhi: Former Indian cricketers have predicted the semi-finalists of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 ahead of the start of the Super 8s, which will commence on Saturday with...
Why are restrictions only limited to the bowler?: Ashwin reflects on Usman Tariq’s bowling action amid criticism
New Delhi:Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of Pakistan’s Usman Tariq after the latter’s bowling action came under scrutiny during the T20 World Cup 2026, saying...
T20 WC: Pakistan Govt makes U-turn, allows team to play India match on February 15
Islamabad: The Pakistan Government has made a U-turn on its earlier stance and has now allowed the men's cricket team to play its scheduled match against India in the ICC...
J&K qualify for their maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal
Indore: Jammu & Kashmir scripted history by reaching their maiden Ranji Trophy semifinal after beating 2021–22 winners Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs in the quarterfinal here at the Holkar Stadium...
T20 WC: ‘The sea is rough, just sail through’ – how Jatinder overcame injury to become Oman’s captain
New Delhi: Jatinder Singh arrived in Sri Lanka on January 23 as the captain of Oman’s squad, hungry to rewrite their narrative in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026....
Tejaswin Shankar adds heptathlon gold to Indian medal tally of five medals in Asian Indoor Athletics C’ships
New Delhi: India’s 27-year-old Tejaswin Shankar added a glittering gold to the country's medal tally on the final day of the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Tianjin, China, on...
