World Wrestling Championships: History of India script as Neelam Sirohi and Kajal Dhochak settle for silver

Kajal Dhochak and Neelam Sirohi NEW DELHI: With 30 seconds left and the score tied at 4-4, Kajal Dhochak was on the verge of a golden finish. The 18-year-old Indian fought her way back into contention, but just as victory appeared within reach, Ukraine’s Anastasija Alpjeeva struck decisively. Kajal’s spirited resistance ended in an agonizing 6-8 defeat in the women’s 76kg final at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana on Wednesday.However, the heartbreak could not overshadow the momentous day for the Indian game. Kajal and Neelam Sirohi won silver medals, becoming the first Indian women to reach the finals of the same edition of the Senior World Championships.Kajal, who is competing at the senior World Cup for the first time, started the final on the back foot and lost 1:3 after the opening three minutes. She regrouped impressively in the second half and clawed her way back to tie the game at 4-4.With a well-prepared fight, Alpyeyeva, a two-time European champion, executed a crucial movement and angle of exposure to create an 8-4 advantage. Kajal managed a late takedown, but the deficit proved insurmountable.The silverware capped off an impressive campaign for the teenager, a two-time world under-20 champion who produced a stunning 10-7 comeback victory over Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy after going 1-7 down in the semi-finals.Earlier, Neelam faced arguably the toughest test of her career against Japan’s Yui Susaki, one of the most successful freestyle champions, in the women’s 50kg final.The 26-year-old Indian woman, who defeated Kazakhstan’s Zeinep Bayan 7:3 in the fight for the title, ran into an opponent operating at an extraordinary level. Susaki built a 5-0 lead before pinning Neelam at the end of the opening period to seal another world title without conceding a single point during her tournament campaign.The victory secured Susaki’s fifth World Championship crown. The Japanese star had previously won gold once in the 48kg category and three times in the 50kg category, underscoring her continued dominance.The silver was a major breakthrough for Neelam after missing out on a selection spot at the Asian Games earlier this year.Until now, Anshu Malik’s silver in the 57kg category at the 2021 World Championships in Oslo stood alone as India’s runner-up at the senior championship.Neelam and Kajal have now changed that narrative and brought an impressive double silver lining to boost the nation’s growing presence in women’s wrestling.