Sujeet Kalkal, the 23‑year‑old from Haryana’s Bhiwani district, stormed to a 65‑kg gold at the Asian Championships in Bishkek, outclassing opponents in a high‑stakes final.
In the final bout he slammed an 8‑0 win over Kyrgyzstan’s Shokhat, then finished the tournament with a flawless 2‑0 record, racking up 12 points while conceding none.
That triumph catapulted him to the top of the world rankings, earning him the No. 1 spot in the 65‑kg division—a first for an Indian in that weight class.
Now the Aichi‑Nagoya Asian Games loom, where he’ll face Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan and other continental heavyweights.
After a three‑day airport ordeal in Dubai that cost him a Paris qualification, Kalkal’s grit has turned setbacks into firepower, with his father’s words echoing in every match.
The Games open on October 2, and a gold medal here would seal his berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.