A Statement in Budapest
Sujeet Kalkal delivered a statement for the ages, winning gold in the men’s 65‑kg freestyle at the Budapest 2025 Ranking Series. He dismantled a stellar field, including an 11‑0 technical win over Paris Olympic bronze medallist Islam Dudaev in the round of 16 and a 5‑1 victory against Azerbaijan’s Ali Rahimzade in the final, firmly announcing himself as the new leader of India’s 65‑kg division.

Crushing the Competition: Match-by-Match

Round of 16 – 11‑0 vs Islam Dudaev (Albania)
Facing France-based Olympic medalist Dudaev, Kalkal maintained complete control, earning a technical superiority win without conceding a point.


Quarter–Final – 11‑0 vs Khamzat Arsamerzouev (France)
He followed that with another dominant technical win, shutting out European silver medallist Arsamerzouev.


Semi‑Final – 6‑1 vs Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia)
Sujeet continued his clinical form, outpacing World U23 Champion Tevanyan to book his spot in the final.


Final – 5‑1 vs Ali Rahimzade (Azerbaijan)
In the gold-medal clash, he overpowered four-time European bronze medallist Rahimzade with a firm 5‑1 scoreline to secure the top prize.

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The Journey from Sidelines to Spotlight
Once viewed as an understudy to Bajrang Punia, Kalkal forged his own path, earning medals in age-group events, then unsettling senior ranks at trials. Today’s gold, India’s first senior-level freestyle gold of 2025, is the culmination of perseverance and frenetic form.


Not just as a contender but a flag-bearer
A 23-year-old with a burgeoning résumé, including U23 World bronze and Asian U23 gold, Sujeet now becomes India’s frontrunner in the 65‑kg weight class. With Paris 2028 on the horizon, this authoritative win in Budapest positions him not just as a contender but as a flag-bearer for India at major global events.

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