Sujeet Kalkal stands on the cusp of spurring promise into stardom. The 65kg freestyle wrestler is one of India’s biggest hopes for a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where he will look to cease the country’s run of near misses.
An U23 World Champion and senior Asian Championships gold medallist, Sujeet has been in phenomenal form, riding a 20-match winning streak in 2026 and currently ranked No. 2 in the world, behind Iran’s Rahman Amouzad.
In April, Sujeet overtook the reigning World Champion Rahman and Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in the rankings, before Rahman reclaimed the top spot recently.
However, Sujeet’s biggest threat at the Asian Games, Rahman, an Olympic silver medallist who edged him in a closely fought quarterfinal at the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, will be missing in Aichi-Nagoya after deciding to prioritise his title defence in the World Championships, scheduled for October 24 to November 1 in Astana.
‘Want my winning streak remain intact’
While Rahman’s absence may come as a respite for Sujeet, the Indian youngster does not want to dwell on the competition that awaits him on his Asiad debut.
Given his current form and confidence, Sujeet will enter the 65kg competition on October 3 as one of the strongest contenders for the Games’ biggest prize – the gold medal.
“U23 World Championships held last year. Thereafter ranking series (Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series) and Senior Asian Championships, I won the gold medal everywhere. There is no lack of motivation. I want my winning streak remain intact and bring home gold medal from the Asian Games,” Sujeet told Sports Now.
Rahman’s absence may take some sheen off the field, but there will be no shortage of competition in the highly competitive category. Standing in Sujeet’s way will be reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan and World Championships medallist Umidjon Jalolov of Uzbekistan, whom Sujeet defeated in the Asian Championships final. But Sujeet has no intention of resting on past performances.
“I do not have a specific strategy. I will do what I learnt during the training. I am satisfied with my overall performance. My body is in good condition, and there are no injuries. I worked on my weaknesses in the last bout. I hope that I would not lose in the upcoming matches,” he said.
India has fond memories of the 65kg category. It is the weight class in which Olympic medallists Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia have won Asian Games gold, with Bajrang being the last Indian to claim the title in 2018. Sujeet, who is expected to end India’s eight-year wait, however, is not one to buckle under the weight of expectations.
“When a person takes pressure, it affects his performance. I do not take pressure. I enjoy it instead. It motivates me. All our wrestlers have won medals in this weight category. I want to win gold in the Olympics for my country,” he declared.
Sujeet, who hails from Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri, keeps himself upbeat with music. Even his Instagram reels reflect his game mindset. ‘Let Him Cook’, his favourite phrase when pinning opponents, could be back in the spotlight in Aichi-Nagoya.
Asked about it, he said, “I have a habit of listening to songs. I like listening to songs. It is part of my life.”
On and off the mat, Sujeet’s popularity is soaring. He was even spotted signing autographs and fulfilling requests from kids for selfies after winning the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in Tirana, Albania.
LA 28 – the long-term goal
His biggest title remains the Senior Asian Championships gold, which made him the first Indian wrestler to win the continental title in the category since Bajrang in 2019. Now, Sujeet wants to go one better, underline his dominance with an Asian Games gold in Aichi-Nagoya, and then turn his focus to the Worlds, for which he has already , and the Olympic qualifiers, which begin in 2027.
Sujeet’s hopes of making his Olympic debut in Paris were dashed when flight disruptions in the UAE forced him to miss the Asian Olympic qualifiers in Bishkek. But if any obstacles come his way en route to LA 2028, he will look to overcome them with his characteristic resilience.
While improvement is a constant process, Sujeet does not want to dwell too much on it. He would rather take his time and assess what needs to be worked on. Raised by his wrestler father, Dayanand, and moulded by coach Kuldeep Singh, he has the game to turn defence into attack, combining brilliant leg attacks with the ability to execute manoeuvres in a small space.
“My long-term goal is to win Olympic gold for the country,” said Sujeet. “Right now my main focus is on the Asian Games. The 20-25 days later, we have the World Championships. So for now, I will focus on these two major tournaments.”
For now, Sujeet has his eyes firmly set on Asian Games gold. If he gets it, a reward awaits – his favourite burger, which he has not had in a long time.