Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), May 10 — A massive turnout at the National Open Ranking Tournament on Sunday stretched the schedule and forced organisers to defer key medal rounds, even as Asian Games silver medallist Deepak Punia powered into the 92kg final without conceding a point. The opening day was delayed after weigh-ins ran late and bouts began around 11:30am, nearly two hours behind the planned start.
The tournament drew roughly 1,400 entries — the second-highest in the event’s history after the 2022 Chandigarh edition, which had about 1,800 wrestlers. The 65kg category alone attracted nearly 150 competitors, creating long queues at morning weigh-ins. With only four weighing scales available for the large turnout, officials could not complete procedures on time.
The backlog had a cascading effect: organisers postponed freestyle medal rounds to Monday because the day’s matches were likely to run well past midnight. The 30 referees on duty worked overtime, prompting the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to announce incentive payments for match officials to compensate for the extra hours.
On the mat, Deepak Punia dominated the 56-wrestler 92kg field. Normally an 86kg competitor who aims to avoid painful weight cuts, the Haryana grappler began with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Rahul, followed by an 11-0 victory against Sachin Kumar. An opponent, Abhishek, withdrew with an injury, and Punia later recorded a 32-second pin over Rahul Hooda to reach the semifinals, where he beat Raja 11-0 by technical superiority. He is set to meet Vansh, who reached the final after an 8-0 semifinal win over Robin.
The tournament also marked the return of 2024 U23 Asian champion Anirudh Gulia to national competition, but his campaign ended in the pre-quarterfinals despite a promising comeback in the Pro Wrestling League after injury and the loss of his Railways spot. Telangana’s Pilangolia drew attention in the crowded 65kg draw as well, though he too bowed out at the pre-quarterfinal stage.
The event underlined both the growing depth of Indian wrestling and the logistical challenges that come with sudden surges in participation, pressuring organisers, officials and schedules as the sport expands nationally. (PTI)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/05/11/deepak-punia-storms-into-92kg-final/
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Publish Date: 2026-05-11 04:05:00
