17-year-old wrestler Yashita Rana from Haryana is India’s first wrestling gold medalist at the 3rd Asian Youth Games held in Bahrain in 2025. The victory marks a significant milestone for Indian wrestlers making their debut at the global stage, and in this case, it was Rana after winning her maiden title at the tournament.
Competing in the girls’ 61kg freestyle division, the U17 World silver medallist secured a triumphant win over Kazakhstan’s Zhaidar Mukat. The match was tough to win after falling behind 0-3, but she did it through her tactics and counterattacks against Mukat’s quick takedowns, which led to the final score of 5-5. She claimed the victory on the criteria, which is wrestling’s tiebreak rule. At the end, the referee raised Yashita’s hand, confirming her win by the last technical point.
Rana started the campaign in Bahrain with a confident win over Uzbekistan’s Jumanazarov by 4-1 in the quarterfinals. The dominance continued over Kyrgyzstan’s Akylai Chynybaeva in the semi-finals match winning by 6-0, with a brilliant display of control and aggression. But it was her defense, quick counterattacks, that got her into the finals.
Rana’s rise to success started with her career milestone after making headlines at the U17 World Championships. Rana won a silver medal after being defeated by the United States’ Taina Fernandez in the finals game. At just the age of 17, she has earned a world medal and a continental title to her name.
Indian dominance at 3rd Asian Youth Games
Besides Rana’s wrestling brilliance, there were other female wrestlers who brought in a medal for India. In the girls’ freestyle 57kg category, Moni won gold medals in the finals after defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Sezim Kurmanbekovna Zholdoshbekova by 10-0 through a technical superiority.
In the girls’ 69kg category, Ashvini Vishnoi got a silver in the 65kg division after suffering a defeat over China’s Zhao Min by 3-10 in the finals. U17 bronze medalist Komal Verma ended with a podium finish in the girls’ 49kg event after defeating People’s Republic of China’s Mo Xiaoqing by 3-1. In the 43 kg division, Rachana got a bronze medal against Kyrgyzstan’s Inzhu Bakkozha by 11-0.
With seven medals added by wrestlers, India’s medal tally went to 33 including six gold, 11 silver, and 16 bronze. A total of 222 Indian athletes competed at the Asian Youth Games, which ended on October 31. The tournament served as a qualification for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games to be held in Dakar.
India’s boxers were also impressive, with six in the girls’ section advancing in the finals game of their respective divisions. Khushi Chand (46kg), Chandrika Pujari (54kg), Harnoor Kaur (66kg), Anshika (+80kg), and Ahaana Sharma (50kg) will fight for their medal on October 30, 2025.
(Inputs sourced from India Sports Hub & Olympics)
