Maharashtra’s Vishvajit More made history on October 13, 2026, by becoming the first Indian wrestler to reach a Greco-Roman final at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, United States. Competing in the men’s 55kg category, More defeated Mexico’s Isaac Marin Mata 10-8, Iran’s Armin Shamsipour 8-1 and Russia’s Malik Gigiev in the semi-final to secure his place in the gold-medal bout.
According to United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport’s international governing body, More’s achievement marks a first for India at the competition. A two-time bronze medallist at previous editions, he now has an opportunity to win India’s first Greco-Roman gold medal at the U23 World Championships.
Three Wins To History
More began his campaign with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Mexico’s Isaac Marin Mata. He then faced Iran’s Armin Shamsipour, the reigning U20 world champion, in the quarter-finals. More used a four-point throw to establish his advantage and secured an 8-1 win, advancing to the semi-finals. Shamsipour appeared to have injured his shoulder during the contest, according to UWW’s report.
The semi-final against Russia’s Malik Gigiev proved to be another closely contested encounter. More initially fell behind after Gigiev countered his attack and scored four points. The Indian wrestler responded with a four-point throw of his own, taking a 5-4 lead after a review. In the second period, More earned a step-out to extend his advantage. A failed Russian challenge in the closing seconds added another point to More’s score. UWW recorded the final result as 7-4, confirming More’s place in the championship final.
🔥 HISTORY MADE. ONE MORE STEP TO GLORY! 🇮🇳🏆 From conquering world-class opponents to storming into the FINAL, Vishwajit Ramchandra More has become the FIRST INDIAN GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLER to reach the U23 World Wrestling Championships final!💥🤼♂️ Three battles. Three mighty wins. One historic breakthrough. 🚀 Now, the ultimate prize awaits! The mission is clear, the tricolour is behind him, and GOLD is within reach! 🇮🇳🥇 GO ALL OUT, VISHWAJIT! BRING IT HOME! 🔥 #Wrestling #U23WorldChampionships #Cheer4Bharat #TeamIndia
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) October 14, 2026
From Bronze To Gold
More’s historic run builds on his previous performances at the U23 World Championships, where he won bronze medals in 2024 and 2025. According to UWW, he was India’s only Greco-Roman wrestler to have won two medals at the competition before reaching the 2026 final. His latest achievement marks another milestone in his international career and gives him a chance to improve on his previous finishes.
Greco-Roman wrestling differs from freestyle wrestling because competitors cannot use their legs to execute holds or attack an opponent’s legs. The discipline places particular emphasis on upper-body strength, throws, balance and technical control. More’s progress through three challenging bouts highlights his ability to respond under pressure against opponents from countries with established Greco-Roman wrestling traditions.
More was scheduled to face Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in the 55kg gold-medal bout. Karumidze reached the final after defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Barsbek Asankozhoev 8-6 in a closely contested semi-final. The U23 World Wrestling Championships are being held in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18, 2026. A victory would make More the first Indian wrestler to win Greco-Roman gold at the competition.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Vishvajit More’s achievement is a reminder that sporting success is built through discipline, perseverance and the ability to learn from setbacks. His progress from consecutive bronze medals to a historic world championship final deserves recognition, regardless of the outcome of the gold-medal bout. His performance also highlights the importance of strengthening grassroots sports, improving access to quality coaching and providing young athletes with the resources to compete internationally.
Celebrating individual achievements must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for more emerging wrestlers across India. How can India better support young athletes from smaller towns and villages so that more of them can compete and succeed on the world stage?
Read More: Indian Army’s Assam Regiment Wins Gold At Prestigious Cambrian Patrol Military Exercise In Wales
