NewKerala.com

Deepak Punia Clinches 92kg Gold at WFI Senior Ranking Tournament 2026

The men's freestyle events at the WFI Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026 concluded in Gonda with 593 wrestlers competing. Deepak Punia of Haryana won the 92kg gold medal after defeating Vansh in the final bout. In the 125kg heavyweight division, Rohit secured a bronze medal. The tournament is now transitioning to Greco-Roman style, with several athletes advancing to semifinals and finals.

Key Points: Deepak Punia Wins Gold at WFI Senior Ranking Tournament 2026

  • Deepak Punia wins 92kg gold defeating Vansh in final
  • 593 wrestlers participated in freestyle events
  • Rohit secures bronze in 125kg heavyweight division
  • Greco-Roman matches intensify with semifinals set
3 min read

WFI Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026: Deepak Punia Secures 92kg Gold as Freestyle Concludes

Deepak Punia secures 92kg gold as freestyle events conclude at WFI Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026 in Gonda. Full results and Greco-Roman updates.

"The conclusion of the freestyle events today showcased exceptional skill, highlighted by Deepak Punia's commendable run to secure the 92kg gold. - Sanjay Singh"

Gonda, May 11

The Wrestling Federation of India on Monday announced the conclusion of the men's freestyle events at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026, held at Nandininagar Mahavidyalaya, Gonda.

The national ranking competition recorded a total participation of 593 wrestlers competing across various designated weight categories, according to a release.

In the 92 kg freestyle division, Deepak Punia (Haryana) secured the gold medal and the top national ranking. Punia advanced to the final round following a semifinal victory over Raja (Haryana), ultimately defeating Vansh (Haryana) in the gold medal bout.

In the 125 kg heavyweight division, Rohit (Haryana) progressed through the tournament bracket following a closely contested victory over Anirudh (Haryana) in Match No. 179, resulting in Anirudh's elimination. Rohit went on to secure a bronze medal in the category.

As the tournament transitioned to the Greco-Roman style, several athletes secured crucial placements in the late knockout stages. In the 82 kg division, Umesh successfully advanced out of the quarterfinals to book his spot in the semifinals.

The 87kg category saw Sagar, Manoj Kumar, Manav Sharma and Tejpal win their respective quarterfinal bouts to lock in the final four semifinal positions.

In the heavier weight classes, Abhimanu and Ashish have confirmed their places in the 97kg gold medal match, while Mehar Singh confidently progressed to the 130kg tournament final.

Speaking on the tournament's progress, Sanjay Singh, President, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), said: "The conclusion of the freestyle events today showcased exceptional skill, highlighted by Deepak Punia's commendable run to secure the 92kg gold. As the Greco-Roman matches intensify, we continue to see the high calibre and depth of our domestic athletes."

FINAL FREESTYLE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

57kg Freestyle: Gold - Sagar | Silver - Rupesh | Bronze - Lakshay & Sahil61kg Freestyle: Gold - Abhishek | Silver - Bhuvanesh | Bronze - Vivek & Sandeep65kg Freestyle: Gold - Sawan Satish | Silver - Udit | Bronze - Ajay & Abhishek Dha70kg Freestyle: Gold - Anuj Kumar | Silver - Tejveer Singh | Bronze - Rakesh Kumar & Naveen74kg Freestyle: Gold - Yash | Silver - Sourabh Sehr | Bronze - Naveen & Nishant Ruhi79kg Freestyle: Gold - Naveen | Silver - Sachin | Bronze - Ritik Rana & Parvinder86kg Freestyle: Gold - Deepak | Silver - Sahil Dalal | Bronze - Pushpender D & Aniket92kg Freestyle: Gold - Deepak Punia | Silver - Vansh | Bronze - Raja & Robin Singh97kg Freestyle: Gold - Prthivraj | Silver - Parveen Kumar | Bronze - Vishal & Ramdhan125kg Freestyle: Gold - Shubham Dhil | Silver - Chirag | Bronze - Rohit & Karandeep.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great to see the freestyle results! Deepak Punia's consistency is commendable. But I wish we had more coverage for the women's events too. 🙏 Also, Gonda hosting such a big tournament is a nice boost for UP wrestling—hope the facilities were up to the mark.
R
Rohit P
Nobody is talking about how close the 125kg bronze match was between Rohit and Anirudh? That must have been a thriller! And Mehar Singh progressing to the 130kg final in Greco—that's a name to watch. Indian wrestling is producing champs across styles now.
M
Michael C
Not many countries can say they have 593 domestic wrestlers competing in a single ranking tournament. India's wrestling ecosystem is really maturing. But I hope the administration focuses on science-based training and injury prevention for these athletes—raw talent alone won't win Olympic medals anymore.
K
Kavya N
Happy for Deepak Punia but honestly, I'm more interested in the 57kg and 61kg categories—those are Olympic weights and we need depth there. Sagar and Abhishek winning gold is good, but let's see how they perform internationally. Also, no women's results in this update? 😕
S
Siddharth J
Only one name from Haryana winning gold? That's rare! Usually Haryana dominates every category. The fact that wrestlers from other states are stepping up—like Sawan Satish and Anuj Kumar winning gold—shows wrestling is spreading beyond the traditional belts. More states need wrestling mats and coaching academies now!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50