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Key Points

Haryana established its wrestling supremacy at the KIYG 2025, claiming 21 medals, including eight gold. Maharashtra made a notable final day effort, finishing second with 17 medals. Delhi and Rajasthan also demonstrated strength, earning significant victories. Pooja Dhanda hailed the tournament's role in advancing young athletes' careers, highlighting improved facilities and international-level exposure.

Key Points: Haryana Dominates KIYG 2025 Wrestling Triumphs Over Bihar Maharashtra

  • Haryana secures 21 wrestling medals with 8 golds
  • Maharashtra follows closely with strong 17 total
  • Delhi and Rajasthan shine in individual performances
  • Pooja Dhanda praises KIYG's impact on young athletes
3 min read

KIYG 2025: Haryana tops wrestling tally ahead of Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi

Haryana leads KIYG 2025 wrestling with 21 medals; Maharashtra, Delhi follow with impressive wins.

"The exposure these kids get now is similar to what we got only after going abroad. - Pooja Dhanda"

Patna, May 15

Haryana stamped their authority on the wrestling mat at the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 Bihar, finishing with a commanding tally of 21 medals – eight gold, five silver, and eight bronze – across boys and girls' categories. Maharashtra followed in second place with 17, with four gold, while Delhi's boys and Rajasthan's girls rounded out the top three in their respective divisions.

Maharashtra made a strong push on the final day, collecting seven medals, including two gold medals. Ayushka Pandurang bagged the girls' 57kg title, followed by Sujay Nagnath Tanpure's victory in the boys' 71kg Freestyle. Delhi and Rajasthan also picked up two gold medals each.

Delhi's Akshara won the U-17 girls' 53kg final by pinning Karnataka's Kavya Tukaram Danwenavar, while Pranjal Dahiya defeated Maharashtra's Rushikesh Eknath Naik to win the boys' 60kg Greco-Roman crown. Rajasthan's Ashvini Vishnoi emerged champion in the U-17 girls' 65kg class, while Daksh Sharma defeated Delhi's Ishu in the boys' 60kg freestyle final.

In her first outing as coach of Haryana's girls' team, world championship bronze medallist and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver winner Pooja Dhanda guided all her seven girls to medals, including two gold.

"It is my first major tournament as a coach, and the experience was truly overwhelming. The wrestlers performed up to expectations," said Pooja. "We will go back and work on our shortcomings to come back stronger."

Pooja praised the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) as a transformative platform for young athletes. Drawing a comparison with her early years in the sport, she highlighted the superior infrastructure and exposure available to today's wrestlers. "Back then, we didn't have such facilities. The exposure these kids get now is similar to what we got only after going abroad," she said.

The results:

Boys:

60kg freestyle: Daksh Sharma (Rajasthan) beat Ishu (Delhi); Bronze medals: Pranav Krushnant More (Maharashtra) and Tanish (Haryana)

71kg Freestyle: Sujay Nagnath Tanpure (Maharashtra) beat Sushant Vashistha (Chandigarh); Bronze medals: Aryan Sharma (Rajasthan) and Moni (Haryana)

60kg Greco-Roman: Pranjal Dahiya (Delhi) beat Rushikesh Eknath Naik (Maharashtra); Bronze medals: Anubhav (Uttar Pradesh) and Sahil Megh (Punjab).

92kg Greco-Roman: Nitin (Haryana), beat Kaif Bin Salam (Telangana); Bronze medals: Harsh Deepak Thakare (Maharashtra) and Suraj Sambhaji Jamdar (Maharashtra).

Girls:

53kg: Akshara (Delhi) beat Kavya Tukaram Danwenavar (Karnataka); Bronze medals: Saarika (Haryana) and Doli (Uttar Pradesh)

57kg: Ayushka Pandurang (Maharashtra) beat Kaveri Talageri (Karnataka); Bronze medals: Kavita Mali (Rajasthan) and Antra (Haryana)

65kg: Ashvini Vishnoi (Rajasthan) beat Astha Anand Singh (Uttar Pradesh); Bronze Medals: Anshul (Haryana) and Srushti Shivaji Kare (Madhya Pradesh).

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Haryana continues to dominate wrestling like a boss! 🏆 No surprise there given their akhada culture. But great to see Maharashtra and Rajasthan putting up a strong fight. Pooja Dhanda's coaching debut seems promising too!
P
Priya M.
As someone from Bihar, I'm so proud to see our state hosting such a prestigious event! The infrastructure might not be perfect yet, but events like KIYG will surely inspire local talent. Kudos to all participants!
A
Amit S.
While Haryana's performance is impressive, I wish more southern states were in the top rankings. Wrestling needs to grow pan-India. Maybe KIYG should have special camps for states that are lagging behind?
S
Sunita R.
So happy to see girls like Akshara and Ashvini Vishnoi making their mark! 👏 Women's wrestling in India has come a long way since Geeta Phogat's time. Pooja Dhanda mentoring the next generation is just perfect!
V
Vikram J.
The real winner here is Khelo India initiative. As Pooja said, today's kids get facilities we couldn't dream of 15 years ago. This is how we'll build Olympic champions! More power to such programs.
N
Neha T.
While results are exciting, I hope organizers ensure proper medical facilities and nutrition for these young athletes. Saw some wrestlers looking exhausted in photos. Their health should be priority #1.

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