Sujeet Kalkal puts Asian Games gold above all, sets sights on LA Olympics

Sujeet Kalkal had an Olympic champion and a tough Iranian wrestler on his side of the draw, but the Indian refused to be intimidated. He kept his focus on the task in front of him and wrestled with the belief that if he wanted to win big medals, he would have to beat the best.

That approach took Sujeet past Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka in the semifinal and then through a stunning comeback in the gold-medal bout against Tajikistan's Abdulmazhid Kudiev.

At 2-9 down, the Asian Games title appeared to be slipping away. Sujeet had other ideas. He scored eight points to overturn the deficit and win 10-9, completing a comeback that delivered the biggest title of his career and gave him fresh belief that he can challenge for an Olympic medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

For Sujeet, there is little doubt about where this medal ranks in his career. "I will put this Asian Games medal above all that I have achieved in my career," Sujeet told PTI from Japan.

The gold was the reward for a campaign in which Sujeet looked increasingly dominant with every bout.

He opened with a convincing win before producing one of the most eye-catching moments of the competition in the quarterfinal, throwing Iran's Abbas Ebrahimzadehsavadkouhi from a standing position inside the first 20 seconds.

He carried that momentum into the semifinal, where he beat Kiyooka, the Olympic champion. Then came a completely different challenge in the final.

Sujeet fell 2-9 behind against Kudiev, but he never felt the contest was beyond him.

"My body was a bit cool, it took time to warm up the body that is why I could not do well initially in the bout. I was confident to come back even after the score was 2-9, I was confident I will pull it off," he said.

What followed was a remarkable surge. Sujeet scored eight points to complete the 10-9 victory and add the Asian Games title to his U23 World and Asian championships and Zagreb Open triumphs.

The comeback also brought back memories of Ravi Dahiya's semifinal bout at the Tokyo Games. Dahiya had trailed 2-9 against Nurislam Sanayev before fighting back to pin the Kazakhstan wrestler and reach the final.

But Sujeet's Asian Games campaign was about more than one comeback. It showed the mindset that has driven his rise in the 65kg category.

He has no intention of being overawed by the pedigree of an opponent or spending too much time worrying about who might stand in his path.

"I do not fear anyone. If I have to win big medals, I have to forget who is in my side of draw, Iran or Japan, I have to beat them all. What is point in overanalysing the draw?" he said.

"They are all very good wrestlers but I play with the mindset that I have to win gold. Whoever comes in my way, I will wrestle hard."

His father and coach Dayanand Kalkal has the same mindset, and it seems Sujeet has picked up that self-belief from his family.

"Agar champion wrestler banna hai to champion players ko haraana hi padega," Dayanad told PTI from Imlota village.

"He is a strong guy and never takes things for granted."

Dayanad, however, rued that he could not watch his son beat an Olympic champion because the semifinal bout was not broadcast.

"I missed it like many others. I will ask for a recording."

For all the celebration, Sujeet knows there is work to do.

He conceded points early in his bouts and admitted that this is an area he needs to address, particularly with the 2028 Olympics now firmly in his plans.

"I conceded points early in my bouts and that is not good, we have to work on that aspect," he said.

And despite producing a performance that could easily have invited talk of his supremacy at 65kg, Sujeet himself refused to use the word invincible.

"I can lose tomorrow also. But I am progressing. And the way I am competing I will be a genuine contender at LA Olympic Games in 2028," he said.

For now, the Asian Games gold is the medal Sujeet values above everything else he has achieved. But his reaction after the biggest victory of his career made it clear that he is already thinking about what comes next.

The Asian Games dream has been fulfilled. LA 2028 is now firmly in sight.- Ends