India’s rising wrestling star Kajal Dhochak etched her name into the history books at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
At just 18 years old, Kajal Dhochak made history at the World Wrestling Championships on Wednesday in Astana, Kazakhstan, clinching a silver medal finish in the women’s 76kg title clash and becoming the nation’s first heavyweight medalist at the tournament.
Kajal made an impressive senior World Championships debut after winning two U20 world titles, putting up a strong fight before settling for silver. Her podium finish, however, marked a significant milestone for Indian wrestling.
Who is Kajal Dhochak?
Hailing from Sonipat, Haryana, Kajal began her initial training with her uncle and former International wrestler Krishna Malik. He initially began coaching Kajal’s elder brother following a career-ending injury.
Kajal’s family moved from their village to Sonipat to make it easier for her to study. But she intended to pursue a wrestling career at age 11.
According to Sportstar, Kajal’s uncle thought that her interest in wrestling would fade away, but that was not the case. She used to practice in a muddy arena on her uncle’s land and trained only for limited days, but she progressed beyond expectations.
More from SportsAt age 14, she began training with former national coach Kuldeep Malik in Sonipat and advanced to the state, national and international levels. Kajal won gold at the U15 Asian Championships in 2022 and won the U17 title in 2023.
Kajal delivered a strong showing at Astana Worlds
At the World Wrestling Championships, Kajal went up against Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva and delivered a strong showing in Astana. But the 18-year-old was defeated in a closely contested clash by 6-8 to wrap her campaign with a silver medal finish.
Kajal marched into the final after running through Asian Champion Enkh Amaryn Davaarnsarn in the quarterfinals and two-time World silver medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy in the semifinals.
In the women’s 50kg final, 26-year-old Neelam faced four-time world champion Yui Susaki and lost by fall after trailing 0-5. Their medal finishes add up to the breakthrough made by Anshu Malik when she became the first Indian woman to reach a World Championships final in 2021.