Haryana's Wrestler Chirag Strikes Gold at U23 World Championships

In a remarkable display of wrestling prowess, Haryana's Chirag Chhikara has brought glory to India by clinching gold at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Albania, reports The Haryana Story. The young wrestler from Jua village in Sonipat district dominated the 57kg freestyle category, becoming only the second Indian after Paris Olympics bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat to achieve this prestigious title.

Chhikara's path to gold was marked by a series of commanding performances. He began his campaign with a convincing 6-1 victory over his Japanese opponent in the opening round. In the quarterfinals, he demonstrated his technical superiority by overwhelming his Russian competitor with a decisive 12-2 win.

The semifinal saw Chhikara facing Kazakhstan's Alan Oralbek, where he showcased his tactical acumen to secure his place in the final. In a nail-biting championship match, he emerged victorious with a close 4-3 win over Kyrgystan's Abdimalik Karachov, adding the coveted gold medal to India's tally. 

India's success at the championships extended beyond Chhikara's golden achievement.

The country secured several other medals across categories:

• Anjali claimed silver in the women's 59kg freestyle
• Sujit Kalkal won bronze in men's 70kg freestyle
• Vicky Chahar secured bronze in men's 97kg freestyle
• Abhishek earned bronze in men's 61kg freestyle
• Vishwajeet Ramchandra More clinched bronze in the 55kg Greco-Roman category 

"This victory represents not just personal achievement but the rising power of Haryana and India in global wrestling," Chhikara said after his historic win. His success adds to Haryana's rich wrestling legacy, further cementing the state's reputation as India's wrestling powerhouse.

The triumph is particularly significant as it comes at a time when Indian wrestling is looking to showcase its strength on the international stage ahead of the upcoming major competitions, including the Paris Olympics.