Sujeet Kalkal pulled off one of India's biggest wrestling feats at the Asian Games 2026 by winning the men's freestyle 65kg gold medal after clawing his way back from behind to beat a talented Tajik opponent, Abdulmazhid Kudiev, at Nagoya on Friday. Trailing 2-9 in the final, Sujeet Kalkal turned the tide in the final few moments of the match by scoring eight points in quick succession on his way to a 10-9 win. Not only was it a winning day on the mat for the skilled wrestler, but he had also earlier brushed aside reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in his semi-final.

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Sujeet Kalkal completes stunning comeback in final

Kudiev seemed to be well in control of the 65kg final for most of the contest. The Tajik wrestler had established a seven-point lead and had left Sujeet with an uphill task in the final stages. But Sujeet kept searching for a chance to score. The Indian slowly chipped away at the lead with takedowns, and finally got within a point at 8-9. Kudiev attempted to cover up his lead and work the clock in, but Sujeet kept driving; Sujeet finished a two-point takedown in the last 11 seconds to go ahead 10-9.

Kudiev had no time to react. Sujeet took advantage of the lead and was crowned the Asian Games champion in a final, which seemed to be eluding him a few seconds back. The Olympic Council of Asia later acknowledged that Sujeet had staged a comeback to win the final from seven points behind. The victory also meant Sujeet had achieved his second comeback of the day. He had earlier survived a nail-biting semi-final against Japan's Kiyooka, the defending Olympic champion in the 65kg division.

Sujeet beats Olympic champion Kiyooka in semi-final

Kiyooka took an early lead in the semi-final, and although Sujeet gradually worked his way back, the battle finished deadlocked at 3-3, with Sujeet advancing on criteria after scoring the final point that gave him the advantage. Kiyooka led early in the semi-final, but Sujeet gradually clawed his way back into the game. The match finished 3-3. Still, Sujeet was the eventual winner on criteria after getting the winning point.

As United World Wrestling, Kiyooka was scored through step-outs, but Sujeet executed an important go-behind to take the criteria lead. The Japanese wrestler tried to make a late push for a score, but Sujeet was able to hold him off and advance to the final. Kiyooka's defeat meant a lot, as he had gained the men's 65kg freestyle title at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Sujeet had to beat the Olympic gold medalist first, and then Kudiev, for the Asian Games gold.

Sujeet’s road to the Asian Games final

The Indian wrestler had already been tested in his opening bout. Afghanistan’s Sayed Omar Zazai took an early 3-0 lead, but Sujeet responded strongly and finished the contest with a 13-3 technical superiority victory. The quarter-finals were a lot easier. Sujeet won by technical superiority against Iran's Abbas Ebrahimzadehsavadkouhi with a score of 10-0 first. Sujeet was next to face off in the semi-final against Japan's Kiyooka.

His run in Nagoya also came after a strong 2026 season. Sujeet had won the Asian Wrestling Championships title in the 65kg category earlier this year. He defeated Tajik wrestlers 7-2 in their semi-final meeting at that tournament before going on to claim the continental title. That earlier result gave Kudiev an opportunity for revenge in the Asian Games final, but it was Sujeet who had the final say once again.

Sujeet restores India’s 65kg wrestling gold legacy

The gold medal is, of course, very significant for Indian wrestling as the 65kg category has had a strong recent history at the Asian Games. Yogeshwar Dutt brought home the first Indian gold in wrestling by winning the men's 65kg in the 2014 Asian Games after a gap of 28 years. Bajrang Punia won the men's 65kg event in Jakarta four years later. India did not win a wrestling gold at the 2022 Asian Games, held in Hangzhou in 2023.

Sujeet has now brought the 65kg title back to India after eight years. His achievement also adds another chapter to a weight class that has produced several of the country’s prominent Asian Games wrestlers. After the final, Sujeet said he initially felt that his body was not fully warmed up but found his rhythm after several minutes. He also acknowledged the pressure of the occasion, saying that managing that pressure was part of becoming a champion.

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For Sujeet, that Asian Games gold is just another point in a quick ascent at 65kg. For India, it is a wrestling gold secured through two difficult comeback victories on the same day, which were finally decided in the final moments by a single takedown.

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Mandeep Rawat is the Director & Editor at sportselite.in, bringing a genuine interest in Sports and the stories behind every contest. His approach to Elite Sports focuses on clear reporting, meaningful context, and the details that matter to fans. At sportselite.in, Mandeep works to keep coverage informative, engaging and easy to follow, covering the people, performances, rivalries and moments that give Sports their character.

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