Wrestling U23 World C'ships: Komal bags bronze in women’s 59kg

Komal became the first Indian women wrestler to medal at the 2026 U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, USA on Friday.

She defeated Kazakhstan's Viktoriia Khusainova 7-2 in the women's 59kg bronze medal bout to confirm the medal.

This is India’s second medal at the championship after Visvajit More (55kg) scripted history by becoming country’s first-ever greco roman wrestler to win a silver.

For Komal, the bronze is the second world medal of the year, having won a bronze at the U20 World Championships. Komal defeated E Finding in the quarterfinals 1-1 followed by a one-sided win over M Prisacari 8-3.

Diksha Malik, another Indian in medal contention in women's 76kg category, lost to Ukraine's Sokolovska N 0-5 in a little less than 3 minutes. 

At the previous edition in Novi Sad (Serbia), Indian wrestlers had won nine medals including one gold, two silvers and six bronze. Aman Sehrawat (men’s 57kg) in 2022, Reetika Hooda (women’s 76kg) in 2023, Chirag Chikkara (men’s 57kg) in 2024 and Sujeet Kalkal (men’s 65kg) in 2025 have won gold medals at the U23 World Championships.