U-23 World Wrestling Championships: Fresh Indian Squad Heads to Las Vegas Amid Visa Concerns

India will field a fresh batch of wrestlers at the U-23 World Championships in Las Vegas, beginning October 12, as the country’s emerging talent prepares to test itself against international opposition. 

However, visa delays have cast a shadow over the campaign, with the participation of several wrestlers in the Greco-Roman and women’s categories still uncertain.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has confirmed a full 10-member men’s freestyle squad for the championships, while the final participation of wrestlers in the other two disciplines remains subject to US visa clearances.

The tournament represents an important opportunity for India’s younger wrestlers to establish themselves internationally and take another step towards the senior circuit. Having qualified through a rigorous national trial process, the selected athletes will look to convert their domestic performances into results against some of the world’s promising young grapplers.

India’s selection policy for the current season has placed emphasis on maintaining separate squads for closely scheduled international assignments. The approach, enforced during the recent Asian Games and senior-level World Championship trials, is intended to prevent athletes from overlapping between senior and age-group competitions.

Consequently, the U-23 World Championships squad features a fresh group of domestic trial winners rather than a roster shared with the country’s senior assignments.

Rohit, selected in the men’s freestyle 57 kg category, leads the freestyle contingent. Sweety will represent India in women’s wrestling at 53 kg, while Vishvajit Ramchandra More has been selected in the Greco-Roman 55 kg category. The three wrestlers headline a group looking to establish its credentials on the international stage. For many members of the squad, the championship offers an opportunity to gain experience in a major global competition while measuring their progress against international rivals.

The tournament also provides a platform for athletes to build the competitive foundation required to move towards senior-level wrestling. Strong performances in Las Vegas could help the selected wrestlers strengthen their claims for future international assignments.

Visa Delays Threaten Greco-Roman and Women’s Campaigns

Despite the preparations, administrative uncertainty remains a concern for the Indian contingent. The entire 10-member men’s freestyle squad has received clearance to travel, allowing that group to prepare for its competition as scheduled. However, several wrestlers in the Greco-Roman and women’s categories are still awaiting US visa clearances.

The uncertainty is particularly significant because the two disciplines begin before the men’s freestyle events. Greco-Roman wrestling is scheduled from October 12 to 14, followed by the women’s competition from October 14 to 16. Any delay in securing the necessary clearances could affect the final composition of the Indian teams and potentially leave some selected wrestlers unable to compete.

The WFI’s selection process has identified the athletes who earned their places through the national trials, but their participation now depends on resolving the outstanding administrative requirements. The confirmed freestyle contingent provides some certainty for India’s campaign, while the other categories remain subject to the final visa position.

The situation adds an additional challenge for wrestlers preparing for a tournament where timing, readiness and the opportunity to compete are crucial.

Rohit will compete in the 57 kg category, while Vaibhav Narayan Patil has been selected at 61 kg and Singh Jaskaran at 65 kg. Sumit Kumar Laxman Bharaskar will represent India in the 70 kg division, with Adarsh Yuvraj Patil competing at 74 kg. Chandermohan has been named in the 79 kg category, while Amit will wrestle at 86 kg.

Nikhil is selected at 92 kg, Shivam at 97 kg and Ronak will compete in the heavyweight 125 kg division. The 10-member group covers all the listed freestyle weight categories and is the only Indian discipline squad confirmed in full for travel. Its immediate objective will be to make the most of the opportunity and translate the results of the national trials into competitive performances in Las Vegas.

Women’s Wrestling and Greco-Roman Line-ups

The selected women’s squad includes Sweety at 53kg, Komal at 59kg and Mansi Lather at 68kg. Amruta Shashikant Pujari has been named in the 72 kg category, while Diksha Malik will represent India at 76 kg.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, Vishvajit Ramchandra More is selected at 55kg, Chetan at 63kg and Sagar Singh at 67kg. Sourav Rana will compete at 72 kg, while Karan Kamboj has been named in the 87 kg category.

Although these selections have been announced, the final participation of wrestlers in both disciplines remains dependent on visa clearances. The uncertainty makes the coming days important for the athletes and the federation as the competition approaches.

The U-23 World Championships will take place in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18. The competition opens with Greco-Roman wrestling from October 12 to 14, followed by the women’s events from October 14 to 16. Men’s freestyle will conclude the tournament from October 16 to 18.

India’s fresh selection policy gives emerging wrestlers the opportunity to gain international exposure without overlapping with senior assignments. The challenge now is to ensure that the selected athletes can take the mat as planned. With the men’s freestyle team cleared for travel, India has a confirmed group ready to begin its campaign. The unresolved visa situation in Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling, however, remains a concern ahead of the opening bouts.

For the young Indian contingent, Las Vegas represents an important opportunity to make progress on the world stage. Their performances will be closely watched as they seek to establish themselves as future senior-level contenders, while the resolution of visa issues will determine how much of the selected squad ultimately gets to compete.