Kajal wins second U20 World title in a row
India’s Kajal Dhochak continued her remarkable rise in international wrestling by winning a second consecutive U20 World Championship title, while compatriots Tanu Sharma and Savita secured silver medals at the U20 Wrestling World Championships here on Friday.
Kajal, 18, produced a commanding performance in the women’s 76kg final, defeating China’s Jingru Sun 7-0 to retain her status as a world champion at the junior level. The emphatic victory capped another impressive campaign for the Indian wrestler and underlined her growing reputation as one of the country’s brightest young talents.
Kajal had won the U20 World Championship title in the 72kg category last year. Her successful move up to the 76kg weight class has now resulted in another world title, demonstrating her ability to adapt to a new category while continuing to compete successfully against the best young wrestlers internationally.
The Indian controlled the final from the outset and did not allow her Chinese opponent to build any momentum. Her 7-0 victory reflected her dominance on the mat and gave India a major gold medal at the championship.
Kajal’s latest achievement also comes as she makes the transition towards senior-level competition. She has already begun making her presence felt on the senior international circuit, collecting two gold medals this year.
In June, she won gold at the Ranking Series event in Mongolia, securing an important victory against senior-level opposition. She followed that performance with another gold medal at the Budapest event in July, further highlighting her rapid progress.
Kajal also captured the U20 Asian Championship title in Pattaya, adding another major continental achievement to her growing list of honours. Her consistency across different competitions and age groups has made her one of the wrestlers to watch as she moves towards establishing herself at the senior level.
The success in Bratislava is therefore particularly significant as Kajal looks to make the transition from junior wrestling to the more demanding senior circuit. Winning consecutive U20 world titles provides her with considerable confidence and valuable experience ahead of that challenge.
India also had reason to celebrate through the performances of Tanu Sharma and Savita, who both finished runners-up in their respective categories and took home silver medals. Their podium finishes added to India’s medal tally and reflected the country’s strong showing at the junior world championships.
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Although Tanu and Savita fell short of gold in their respective finals, their silver-medal performances represent significant achievements at the global level. Reaching the final of a U20 World Championship requires consistency across multiple rounds, and both wrestlers successfully navigated the earlier stages to earn a place in the title decider.
The Indian contingent’s performance in Bratislava is another indication of the country’s growing depth in women’s wrestling. With established senior stars continuing to compete internationally and a new generation of juniors making rapid progress, India has increasingly been able to produce wrestlers capable of challenging for medals at major championships.
Kajal’s back-to-back world titles, in particular, mark an important milestone in her young career. Her success in different weight categories, combined with her victories on the senior circuit, suggests that she is already well on the way to becoming a major force in Indian wrestling.
With the junior world championship now adding another gold medal to her collection, Kajal will look to carry this momentum into senior competition and build on what has already been a highly successful 2026 season.
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