U17 National Wrestling Championships 2026: Haryana Dominates Women’s Wrestling And Freestyle

Haryana led the U17 National Wrestling Championships 2026 in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The state topped Women's Wrestling and Freestyle, while Services Sports Control Board led Greco-Roman. The event ran from April 28 to 30, with more than 600 wrestlers across three disciplines.

Haryana scored 215 points in Women's Wrestling and 205 in Freestyle. SSCB finished first in Greco-Roman with 136 points. The championships are a key step in India's U17 pathway. Performances here will guide selection for events like the U17 World Championships.

"I would like to congratulate the respective state teams and wrestlers for their performances. This championship reflects the depth of talent in our system and the strength of our grassroots structure," said Sanjay

Singh, President, Wrestling Federation of India.

Fair play push leads to wider medal spread

WFI's drive against age manipulation showed clear impact this year. Checks helped ensure only eligible U17 athletes competed. Medal winners came from more states, with new centres visible. Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, and Jammu & Kashmir all entered the medal list.

A standout result came in the 71 kg category. Kerala took a notable win over a Delhi opponent. Officials viewed such results as signs of a more level field. Stricter eligibility and fair selection are helping widen the sport's base.

Women's Wrestling: Haryana depth, Maharashtra strength

In Women's Wrestling, several states produced gold medal showings. Maharashtra's Kasturi Sahadev won the 40 kg title. Haryana's Diksha took 43 kg, Rohini of Maharashtra claimed 46 kg, and Haryana's Nikita won 49 kg. These early weights showed a close state contest.

Haryana's depth became clear in the middle and higher classes. Sakshi won 57 kg, Manisha took 61 kg, Taniya claimed 69 kg, and Garima secured 73 kg. Akshara of Delhi won 53 kg, while Srushti of Maharashtra took 65 kg gold.

Freestyle: Haryana stay on top

Freestyle followed a similar pattern, with Haryana again leading. Abhinav won 45 kg, while Sahil took gold at 55 kg. Anuj claimed the 71 kg class, and Arush Rana won 110 kg. These results pushed Haryana clear in the team race.

Other states also enjoyed success in Freestyle finals. Aaryan from Uttar Pradesh won 48 kg, and SSCB's Pranav Sudhir Ghare took 51 kg. Anurag of Delhi claimed 60 kg, Pawan of Maharashtra won 65 kg, with Delhi's Lakshay Thakran and Deepanshu Dahiya taking 80 kg and 92 kg.

Greco-Roman: SSCB show balance across weights

In Greco-Roman, SSCB's consistency across weights proved decisive. The team logged key gold medals and steady finishes. Among the SSCB champions were Sumit Kumar at 45 kg and Yash Kashinath Kamanna at 48 kg. Both delivered assured wins in their categories.

SSCB's list of gold medalists also included Dhiraj Shashikant Daphale at 51 kg. Further titles came from Prathmesh Suryakant Patil at 55 kg and Krishnraj Ingve at 60 kg. These wins gave SSCB a strong base in the points table.

Other Greco-Roman gold medalists highlighted the spread of talent. Kunal Dagar of Delhi and Parnam Singh of Punjab won their classes. Gourav and Rudra, both from Maharashtra, and Karnataka's Hamananth Vital Kempanna also struck gold. Their success underlined growing state depth.

The U17 National Championships remain central to India's wrestling structure. The event offers young athletes steady, high level matches. It also gives selectors current data on form and fitness. With global U17 competitions ahead, this platform supports long term national goals.