Sujeet Kalkal’s 24-Match Winning Streak Ends at World Wrestling Championships
Sujeet Kalkal's 24-match winning streak concludes with a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Astana.
ASTANA, Oct 29: Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal’s impressive run of 24 consecutive victories ended at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 29. He suffered a narrow 3-3 criteria defeat against Abdulmazhid Kudiev from Tajikistan in the men’s 65 kg quarterfinals.
The defeat marked a setback for Kalkal, who had secured seven titles in the past year, including the U23 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Asian Games. This was his first loss since the repechage round of last year’s World Championships in Zagreb.
In a dramatic match, Sujeet initially led 3-1 after executing a takedown just before the end of the first period. However, in the final moments, the match turned as Kudiev executed a takedown that tied the score at 3-3. The match concluded with Kudiev declared the winner due to scoring the last point, illustrating the razor-thin margins in wrestling competitions.
Kalkal’s earlier matches in the tournament demonstrated his dominance, beginning with a 12-1 win over Switzerland’s Nino Leutert and followed by a 4-0 victory against Islam Guseinov from Belarus. Despite this early success, he could not replicate his past performance against Kudiev, where he had famously overcome a 2-9 deficit in their previous encounter at the Asian Games final.
Other Indian wrestlers in action included Tanu Sharma, who reached the women’s 72 kg bronze medal bout after a close victory against Tunisia’s Zainab Sghaier, while Srishti was eliminated in her category against American Kennedy Blades. Experienced competitor Manisha Bhanwala advanced to the women’s 59 kg semifinals with a 6-0 win over Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhuu.
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Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.