Senior Open Ranking Wrestling: Deepak Punia Enters 92kg Final, Rohit Advances in Heavyweight Category

Gonda (UP): Deepak Punia stormed into the final of the 92kg freestyle category at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament 2026 being held in Nandininagar, Gonda, on Sunday.

The prestigious national-level event, organised by the Wrestling Federation of India, has brought together 593 wrestlers from across the country competing in 10 different weight categories to improve their national rankings.

Representing Haryana, Deepak displayed complete dominance in the semifinal, defeating fellow state wrestler Raja by an emphatic 11-1 margin in just 2 minutes and 53 seconds. With the win, the World Championships and Asian Games silver medallist secured his place in the title clash, where he will face Haryana wrestler Vansh in the 92kg final.

In the 125kg heavyweight category, Haryana’s Rohit also impressed with a hard-fought victory over Anirudh in Match No. 179. The bout remained closely contested for most of the match, but Rohit managed to collect crucial points to seal the win and move into the next round, ending Anirudh’s campaign.

Speaking about the tournament, Sanjay Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India, said the event is providing a valuable platform for wrestlers from across India to compete against top talent and improve their rankings.

He added that such competitions would play an important role in strengthening Indian wrestling at both the domestic and international levels.

The tournament will continue with the remaining knockout matches and medal bouts, while the federation is expected to announce the final standings and technical results after the event concludes.

With inputs from IANS