Aman Sehrawat Wins Gold at Budapest Ranking Series 2026
Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat continued his outstanding run on the international wrestling circuit by clinching the 57kg freestyle gold medal at the Polyák Imre, Varga János & Kozma István Memorial Senior Ranking Tournament 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.
The 22-year-old Indian star produced another commanding display in the final, defeating Georgia's Roberti Dingashvili by technical superiority with a 13-3 victory to secure India's first gold medal at the fourth and final United World Wrestling (UWW) Ranking Series event of the season.
India's medal tally received another boost through Deepak, who claimed the 61kg bronze medal after edging Azerbaijan's Nuraddin Novruzov in a thrilling 9-8 contest.
The opening day's performances have given India strong momentum as the tournament continues, with two more Indian wrestlers still in contention for bronze medals in the 65kg category.
Aman Sehrawat entered the Budapest Ranking Series as one of the favourites after establishing himself among the world's best freestyle wrestlers over the past two years. The Olympic bronze medallist lived up to expectations with another clinical performance in the gold-medal bout. Facing Georgia's Roberti Dingashvili, Aman controlled proceedings from the opening whistle, displaying his trademark speed, relentless attacks and exceptional mat awareness.
The Indian raced to a commanding lead before completing a 13-3 technical superiority victory, ending the contest well before full time. The emphatic win underlined the remarkable consistency Aman has shown since his breakthrough at the Paris Olympics.
Already India's youngest-ever individual Olympic medallist and the country's first U23 World Wrestling champion, Aman continues to add major international titles to an already impressive resume. His latest triumph also reinforces his status as one of India's strongest medal hopes for both the upcoming World Championships and the Asian Games.
The Budapest Ranking Series title represents another significant milestone in Aman's rapid rise. Since winning Olympic bronze, the young wrestler has established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the 57kg category, regularly defeating world-class opponents on the international circuit.
The Ranking Series events carry added importance, as they offer valuable ranking points that determine seedings at major championships. Winning gold in Budapest will not only improve Aman's international ranking but also provide a major confidence boost ahead of the season's biggest competitions. With the World Championships approaching, the Indian has once again demonstrated that he remains among the leading contenders in his weight category.
India's second medal of the day came through Deepak in the 61kg freestyle category. Unlike Aman's dominant victory, Deepak's bronze-medal contest proved to be one of the closest matches of the session. Taking on Azerbaijan's Nuraddin Novruzov, the Indian battled through a high-scoring encounter that kept spectators engaged until the final seconds. Both wrestlers traded points throughout the bout, but Deepak held his nerve during the closing exchanges to emerge with a 9-8 victory.
The narrow win reflected his determination and tactical discipline under pressure. Claiming bronze against strong international opposition marks another encouraging result for the Indian contingent and further highlights the country's growing depth in freestyle wrestling.
India's campaign in Budapest is far from over. The country remains in contention for two additional bronze medals in the 65kg freestyle category.
Kumar Mohit is scheduled to face Nachyn Kuular of Kazakhstan in one bronze-medal playoff, while Vishal Kaliraman will take on another Kazakh wrestler, Ossumzhan Dastanbek, in the second third-place bout. Victories for either wrestler would further strengthen India's medal tally at the prestigious Ranking Series event.
With the freestyle competition continuing over the coming days, India has several more opportunities to add to its success.
Following the encouraging opening day, attention will now shift to India's women's wrestling team. Competition begins in the 50kg and 55kg categories, with several promising Indian wrestlers aiming to build on the momentum created by Aman and Deepak. India has sent one of its strongest squads to Budapest, featuring multiple Asian Games-bound wrestlers and several rising stars.
The tournament serves as the final Ranking Series event before the World Championships, making every bout crucial for international rankings and preparation.
The Budapest Ranking Series has attracted some of the world's strongest wrestlers, with leading nations using the competition to assess their athletes ahead of the World Championships and Asian Games. For India, Aman's gold medal sends an important message. His continued consistency against elite international opposition reinforces confidence that he can challenge for medals at every major event.
Similarly, Deepak's bronze demonstrates the growing competitiveness of India's freestyle programme across multiple weight categories. The Wrestling Federation of India will also take encouragement from the performances, particularly given that several Asian Games squad members are competing in Budapest. Strong results at Ranking Series events provide valuable momentum and expose wrestlers to the intensity they will face later in the season.
Winning a gold and a bronze on the opening day represents an ideal start for the Indian contingent.
Aman's commanding performance once again highlighted why he is regarded as one of the brightest stars in world wrestling, while Deepak's gritty bronze-medal victory showcased the fighting spirit that has become synonymous with Indian freestyle wrestling.
With more medal bouts still to come and the women's competition about to begin, India will hope to build on this promising start and continue its strong performances in Budapest.
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