Suraj Vashisht becomes India’s first Greco-Roman U-17 world champion in 32 years

16-year-old Suraj Vashisht wrote history on Tuesday night as he won a gold medal in the 55kg Greco-Roman event at the U17 World Championships.

He is the first Indian to become the Greco-Roman world champion in U17 age group since Pappu Yadav, who had reached the feat in 1990. While India are yet to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Worlds, this is the country’s fourth medal in junior age categories.

The Indian youngster defeated European champion Faraim Mustafayev of Azerbaijan 11-0 in the 55kg weight class.

Pappu Yadav had won the gold medals in the U17 and U20 categories in 1990 and 1992 respectively. Vinod Kumar, meanwhile, had won the U17 gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in 1980.

“I have dreams to become the best in my weight class. Obviously, a senior world title is a dream as well,” Vashisht told United World Wrestling following the win. Indian coach Inderjeet Singh, meanwhile, revealed the instructions he had given to Vashisht.

“He had a very open stance so we told him to close his hands,” India coach Inderjeet Singh was quoted as saying by UWW.

“Then the par terre defence of Indian wrestlers is weak so we told him not to be passive. He did well to defend a few par terre situations,” he added.