'Haar nahi maanunga': Sujeet Kalkal's Asian Games 2026 gold mission on the road to LA Olympics
Wrestler Sujeet Kalkal’s Olympic dream was shattered before he could even step on the mat at the Paris qualifiers. Stranded at Dubai airport for three days, he arrived in Kyrgyzstan after the weigh-in had ended. Now, the 23-year-old is looking at the Asian Games as a fresh start. Representing India in the competitive 65kg category, Sujeet is determined to win gold and keep his Olympic dream alive.
NEW DELHI - Former wrestler Sujeet Kalkal, 23, is aiming to make his mark at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, before targeting his ultimate goal of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He shares his confidence in his abilities, stating, "Asaan nahi tha, bhaisaab. Fir se start kiya hai, haar nahi maanunga. Olympics to sapna hai, poora karna hai bass."
Sujeet's journey has been one of perseverance and hard work, as he recounts his experience of being stranded at Dubai International Airport in April 2024, which prevented him from competing in the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Despite this setback, he was able to recover and ultimately win gold at the 2025 World U23 Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, leading him to become the top-ranked wrestler globally.
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