Neelam Sirohi Claims Silver At World Wrestling Championships After Final Defeat To Yui Susaki

Neelam Sirohi secured a silver medal in the women's 50kg category at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships after suffering defeat against Japan's Yui Susaki in the final on Wednesday.

The Indian wrestler was pinned by Susaki shortly before the end of the opening period, as the Japanese star captured her fifth world title. The Tokyo Olympics champion remained unbeaten on points throughout the tournament, underlining her dominance on the international stage.

Although Neelam missed out on the gold medal, her second-place finish marks a major milestone for Indian women's wrestling. The 26-year-old became only the second Indian woman to win silver at the senior World Championships, following Anshu Malik, who achieved the feat in the 57kg category at the 2021 edition in Oslo.

Neelam had booked her place in the final with a convincing 7-3 win over Kazakhstan's Zeinep Bayanova in the semifinals. Her run to the title bout also made this edition historic for India, with two women wrestlers reaching the finals for the first time at the same World Championships.

Susaki, meanwhile, added another world crown to an illustrious career. The Japanese wrestler's loss to India's Vinesh Phogat at the Paris Olympics in 2024 remains one of the few setbacks in her otherwise remarkable run.

India could yet celebrate another historic achievement, with two-time U20 world champion Kajal Dhochak set to compete in the women's 76kg final later in the day. Dhochak will aim to become the first Indian woman to win a senior World Championships title.