Asian Games 2026: Sunil Kumar Wins Greco-Roman Wrestling Bronze

Sunil Kumar became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win two Asian Games medals after securing bronze in the men’s 87kg category at the Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Haryana wrestler defeated the Philippines’ Callum Johnston Roberts by technical superiority in the bronze-medal bout, winning 9-0 to add another continental medal to the bronze he won at Hangzhou 2023.

Sunil Kumar dominates bronze-medal bout

Sunil took control of the contest from the opening exchanges, locking his opponent’s right arm before executing two takedowns to establish a 4-0 lead.

Johnston Roberts struggled to find a response as Sunil continued to dictate the contest. The Filipino was eventually placed in the par terre position, allowing the Indian wrestler to add further points through successive scoring moves.

Sunil’s dominance meant the bout ended in the first period itself, with the Indian securing a 9-0 victory by technical superiority.

The result confirmed his place on the podium and gave India its first wrestling medal of the Asian Games.

Back-to-back Asian Games medals

Sunil’s bronze also marked a significant milestone in Indian Greco-Roman wrestling.

He had previously won bronze at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, ending a 13-year wait for India to win a medal in the Greco-Roman discipline at the continental event.

Before Sunil’s Hangzhou medal, India’s previous Greco-Roman wrestling medals at the Asian Games had come at the 2010 Guangzhou Games, when Ravinder Singh and Sunil Kumar Rana won bronze medals.

Sunil has now gone a step further by becoming the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler to win two Asian Games medals.

Semifinal defeat ended gold-medal hopes

Sunil’s route to the bronze-medal bout included a strong opening victory over Tajikistan’s Muhammad Sultonzoda, whom he defeated by technical superiority.

His gold-medal hopes ended in the semifinals, however, when he lost to Japan’s Taizo Yoshida by technical superiority.

That defeat sent Sunil into the bronze-medal contest, where he responded with a commanding performance against Johnston Roberts.

The medal adds another chapter to Sunil’s growing record at the Asian Games and provides India with an early podium finish in the wrestling competition.