India’s Vishvajit Ramchandra More created history at the U23 World Wrestling Championships on Thursday, becoming the country’s first Greco-Roman wrestler to win a silver medal at the competition. More narrowly missed out on gold after losing 12-13 to Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in the men’s 55kg final.
The Indian wrestler came close to clinching the title, but Karumidze managed to pull ahead in the closing seconds to secure the win. Despite the heartbreak in the final, More’s silver medal marked a major achievement for Indian Greco-Roman wrestling.
More had already made history by becoming the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to reach the final of the U23 World Championships. He had won bronze medals at the previous editions and added another major achievement to his record with Thursday’s result.
More Beats Iran’s U20 World Champion On Way To Final
More started his campaign with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Mexico’s Isaac Marin Mata. He then produced a strong performance in the quarter-finals, beating Iran’s Armin Shamsipour 8-1.
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Shamsipour, the reigning U20 world champion, struggled to keep up with More, who scored a four-point throw during the bout. The Iranian also appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during the contest.
The Indian continued his impressive run in the semi-finals, where he defeated Russia’s Malik Gigiev 7-4 in another closely contested bout to secure his place in the final.
Karumidze also had a tough route to the gold medal match, beating Kyrgyzstan’s Barsbek Asankozhoev in the semi-finals.
More entered the final with a chance to become India’s first Greco-Roman gold medallist at the U23 World Championships. However, the narrow defeat meant he had to settle for silver.
Komal, Diksha Remain In Bronze Medal Contention
India’s campaign also remains alive in the women’s competition, with Komal still in the race for a bronze medal. She lost her semi-final to Ukraine’s Alina Filipovych by technical superiority but remains in contention for a place on the podium. Diksha Malik, competing in the 68kg category, is also in the bronze medal race. Mansi Lather, meanwhile, was knocked out after suffering a narrow 9-10 defeat to Italy’s Laura Godino in the quarter-finals.
India’s Other Greco-Roman Wrestlers Bow Out
The remaining Indian wrestlers in the Greco-Roman category could not make it to the medal rounds. Chetan, competing in the 63kg category, lost his pre-quarter-final bout. Karan Kamboj also exited the competition after suffering a defeat by technical superiority in the qualification round of the 87kg category.
More’s silver medal therefore stands out as a major highlight of India’s campaign in the Greco-Roman events.
Visa Rejections Affect India’s Campaign In Las Vegas
India’s preparations for the 2026 U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas were also affected by visa issues. Nine wrestlers from the Greco-Roman and women’s categories were denied visas. The stated reasons included their being under 20 years of age and not having full-time jobs.