Nikita Sehrawat Leads India's Medal Haul with Silver at U17 World Wrestling Championships
India's young women wrestlers produced another impressive performance on the global stage as Nikita Sehrawat clinched a silver medal, while Kamna Babal and Garima bagged bronze medals at the 2026 U17 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Competing against some of the world's best young wrestlers, the Indian trio showcased resilience, technical ability, and composure under pressure to ensure India finished the day with three medals. While Nikita narrowly missed out on the world title in the 57kg category, Kamna and Garima bounced back from semifinal defeats to secure podium finishes in their respective weight classes.
The performances continue India's growing reputation in age-group women's wrestling, a discipline that has consistently produced international medal winners over the past decade.
The highlight of India's campaign came in the women's 57kg category, where Nikita Sehrawat enjoyed an outstanding run to the gold medal bout. Displaying excellent tactical awareness and attacking wrestling throughout the tournament, Nikita overcame a series of quality opponents to book her place in the final. Her campaign reflected the consistency that has made her one of India's brightest young wrestling prospects.
Standing between Nikita and the world title was Epenesa Elison of the United States, the reigning U17 World silver medallist and one of the strongest competitors in the weight category. The championship bout proved to be a difficult challenge for the Indian wrestler. Elison controlled the contest with disciplined defence and effective scoring opportunities, eventually registering a 6-0 victory.
Although Nikita finished on the losing side, the silver medal represents a significant achievement and marks one of the biggest milestones of her young career.
Reaching the final of a World Championship at the U17 level demonstrates both her technical quality and her potential to progress through the junior and senior ranks in the coming years.
India's second medal came through Kamna Babal in the 49kg category. After falling short in the semifinals against Japan's Saika Uchida, Kamna faced the difficult task of regrouping mentally for the bronze medal bout. The Indian wrestler responded impressively.
Taking on Russia's Irina Tsydeeva, Kamna engaged in a tightly contested battle where every point proved crucial. Both wrestlers exchanged scoring opportunities throughout the bout, but Kamna maintained her composure during the decisive moments. Her determined effort earned a 3-2 victory, securing the bronze medal and rewarding her resilience after the disappointment of missing the final.
The result highlighted not only her wrestling ability but also her mental strength, recovering from a semifinal defeat to finish on the podium at the World Championships.
Garima delivered arguably India's most commanding performance of the day in the 73kg category. The former U15 Asian Champion had narrowly missed a place in the final after suffering a closely fought 5-7 defeat against American wrestler Kaili Manuel in the semifinals.
However, she left no doubts in the bronze medal contest. Facing Paula Benaixa Perez of Spain, Garima produced an attacking masterclass from start to finish. She dominated every phase of the bout, constantly forcing her opponent onto the defensive while executing her techniques with precision. The Indian eventually sealed an emphatic 10-0 victory by technical superiority (VSU), ending the contest well before full time and comfortably securing the bronze medal.
The one-sided victory underlined Garima's quality and suggested she may have been unfortunate not to reach the championship final.
India's performances in Baku continue a long tradition of success in women's wrestling at age-group international competitions. Over the years, India's junior wrestlers have consistently challenged the world's leading wrestling nations, with many medal winners eventually progressing to success at the senior level.
Competitions such as the U17 World Championships play a vital role in preparing athletes for future Asian Championships, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and eventually the Olympic Games. For Nikita, Kamna, and Garima, these medals represent important milestones in their development and provide valuable international experience against elite opposition.
The latest results also reflect the strength of India's grassroots wrestling programme, which continues to identify and develop talented young athletes across multiple weight categories. With structured coaching, regular international exposure, and increasing competition at the domestic level, India's pipeline of women's wrestlers remains among the strongest in the world.
Nikita's silver medal demonstrates her ability to compete for world titles, while Kamna and Garima showed the resilience required to recover from setbacks and finish on the podium. Such performances are encouraging signs for Indian wrestling as the next generation prepares to transition into the junior and senior international circuits.
India's Medal Winners
India concluded the day with three medals in the women's competition:
Silver – 57kg: Nikita Sehrawat lost to USA's Epenesa Elison 0-6 in the final.
Bronze – 49kg: Kamna Babal defeated Russia's Irina Tsydeeva 3-2.
Bronze – 73kg: Garima defeated Spain's Paula Benaixa Perez 10-0 (VSU).
With a silver and two bronze medals, India's women once again showcased their depth and competitiveness at the U17 World Wrestling Championships. As these young wrestlers continue to gain experience on the international stage, the performances in Baku offer another positive indication of the country's bright future in women's wrestling.
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