Kajal Dhochak Reaches World Wrestling Final After Epic Comeback

Indian wrestler Kajal Dhochak has reached the final of the Women’s 76kg category at the Wrestling World Championships after producing a remarkable comeback against two-time World Championships medallist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan. The 18-year-old debutant recovered from a 1-7 deficit to secure a 10-7 semifinal victory and move within one win of becoming India’s first women’s wrestling world champion.

Kajal will face European champion Anastasiya Alpyeyeva of Ukraine in the final on Wednesday. The Indian teenager has already beaten Alpyeyeva in the Pro Wrestling League, giving her reason to approach the title bout with confidence. However, the upcoming contest presents another major challenge as she seeks to turn her breakthrough senior international campaign into a historic achievement.

The victory over Medet Kyzy was particularly significant because the Kyrgyz wrestler is ranked world No. 2 and has twice won medals at the World Championships. Kajal, by contrast, is competing at the senior World Championships for the first time.

After securing the semifinal win, Kajal screamed in celebration before falling to the mat in tears, while her experienced opponent remained on her back in disbelief. The emotional scenes reflected the importance of a victory that has placed the young Indian wrestler on the brink of a major milestone.

Kajal’s early coach and paternal uncle, Krishan Dhochak, believes her mental strength has been central to her success.

“Dimaag se bahut mazboot hai Kajal. (She is mentally very strong). She doesn’t get overwhelmed by the occasion or the stature of her opponent,” Krishan told The Indian Express.

With her place in the final secured, Kajal has become only the third Indian woman wrestler to reach a World Championships final and the first to do so in the heavyweight categories, according to the supplied report.

Kajal Dhochak’s Remarkable Comeback Against Aiperi Medet Kyzy

The semifinal between Kajal and Medet Kyzy developed into a high-intensity contest that defied expectations of a heavyweight bout. Both wrestlers initially looked for opportunities to attack, but the experienced Kyrgyz competitor soon gained control and put the Indian teenager under considerable pressure.

Medet Kyzy scored four points with a headlock throw before adding two more points through exposure. She also came close to pinning Kajal, leaving the debutant facing a substantial deficit against one of the leading wrestlers in the category.

For an inexperienced wrestler competing on the senior World Championships stage, such a start could have proved difficult to overcome. Kajal, however, responded with a series of counterattacks that changed the direction of the contest.

During the first period, she countered twice, sending Medet Kyzy towards the side of the mat before executing another takedown. Those attacks reduced the gap, leaving Kajal trailing 5-7 at the end of the opening period.

The comeback demonstrated her ability to respond under pressure rather than allow the early deficit to dictate the outcome. Although Medet Kyzy had established an advantage, Kajal had found ways to score and remained within reach of the lead.

A Decisive Second Period

The second period became a test of stamina, timing and tactical awareness. Kajal came out aggressively in the final three minutes and began targeting the legs of an opponent who appeared to be tiring.

She first earned a point after Medet Kyzy was penalised for passivity. Kajal then launched a double-leg attack, moving to the side of her opponent and completing the takedown that gave her an 8-7 lead.

With the score turned around, the Indian wrestler still needed to prevent Medet Kyzy from mounting a late response. As the contest approached its closing seconds, the Kyrgyz wrestler attempted to push Kajal out of bounds.

Kajal used her agility to move behind her opponent and complete another takedown. The final action effectively settled the contest, giving the Indian wrestler a 10-7 victory after she had trailed by six points earlier in the bout.

The result highlighted several aspects of Kajal’s performance: her ability to recover after conceding a substantial lead, her willingness to continue attacking and her composure during the decisive moments. Against a more experienced opponent, those qualities proved crucial in turning a difficult semifinal into a career-defining victory.

Road to the Final: Two Convincing Wins Before the Semifinal

Kajal’s run to the final began with a victory by fall over Lithuania’s Kamile Gaucaite in the opening round. She followed that result with a 9-2 win against Mongolia’s Davaanasan Enkh Amar in the quarterfinals.

Enkh Amar entered the contest as the reigning Asian champion, making the quarterfinal victory another important result for the Indian wrestler. Kajal’s performance against her then set up the semifinal against Medet Kyzy, a two-time World Championships medallist and one of the strongest competitors in the 76kg division.

Winning three successive bouts against international opposition has taken Kajal to the final on her senior World Championships debut. Her performances have also shown that her success at junior level has translated into results against established senior wrestlers.

The final will test that progress once again. Alpyeyeva, the European champion, represents another experienced opponent, and Kajal will need to reproduce the attacking initiative and composure that carried her through the semifinal.

Who Is Kajal Dhochak? The 18-Year-Old Wrestler From Sonipat

Kajal comes from Sonipat, Haryana, a region with a strong wrestling tradition. Although she is only 18, she has already spent around a decade involved in the sport, having begun her journey after watching her paternal uncle, Krishan Dhochak, wrestle and train.

Krishan competed in heavyweight categories during the 2000s but stopped wrestling after suffering an injury to his right foot. He continued with the exercises and dietary routines associated with wrestling, and Kajal gradually became involved in the same activities.

“I used to wrestle in heavyweight categories during the 2000s. After an injury in my right foot, the wrestling stopped. But I used to do the usual exercises and take the usual diet of a wrestler,” Krishan said.

He explained that Kajal began eating similar food, following him on runs and during exercise, and eventually accompanying him to the local akhada, or traditional wrestling training centre.

“She started having the same food and following me while running and exercising. She started going to the akhada with me,” he added.

What began as a young girl following her uncle’s routine developed into a serious sporting pursuit as her potential became increasingly apparent. When the family saw that she was progressing, they decided to invest more heavily in her training and diet.

Kajal was subsequently moved to the academy of former national coach Kuldeep Malik, where she continued developing her wrestling skills. The decision to strengthen her training arrangements helped support her rapid rise through the junior ranks and her transition towards senior competition.

“When we saw that she is doing good and the potential is clear, we decided to go all in with her training and diet,” Krishan said.

Her journey from following her uncle to competing for a world title illustrates the long-term preparation behind her current breakthrough. While her semifinal comeback has brought her widespread attention, it follows years of training and a series of strong performances at international junior competitions.

From U17 World Champion to Senior World Championships Finalist

Kajal first attracted major attention when she won the U17 World Championships in 2024. That result established her as a promising young wrestler and laid the foundation for further success at international level.

In 2025, she won the U20 World Championships title in the 72kg category and also secured silver at the U17 World Championships in the 73kg category. These results demonstrated her ability to compete successfully across different age groups and weight categories.

Her development continued in 2026, when she competed across multiple levels of the sport. Her schedule included the U20 World Championships, Ranking Series events, the U23 level and the Senior Asian Championships before she made her senior World Championships debut.

Kajal also defended her U20 World Championships title in 2026, further strengthening her record before stepping into the senior arena.

Her uncle believes that competing in so many tournaments helped her prepare for the pressure of elite-level wrestling.

“She played at senior level for the first time this year and I think all those tournaments have helped her in understanding how to tackle tough situations at the elite level,” Krishan said.

The transition from junior to senior wrestling can be demanding because athletes must face opponents with greater experience, different tactical approaches and a longer record of competing in high-pressure situations. Kajal’s 2026 competition schedule appears to have given her valuable exposure before the World Championships.

Her semifinal victory against Medet Kyzy provided a particularly clear demonstration of that progress. Rather than losing control after falling behind, she adjusted her approach, continued to attack and found opportunities to turn the contest in her favour.

Reaching the final in her first senior World Championships appearance is a significant step in her career. Winning the title would take that achievement further, placing her among the most successful Indian women in the sport’s history.

Kajal vs Anastasiya Alpyeyeva: What to Expect in the Final

Kajal’s next opponent is Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva, the European champion who will face the Indian wrestler for the 76kg gold medal on Wednesday.

The matchup presents an opportunity for Kajal to build on her momentum after the dramatic semifinal. She has already defeated Alpyeyeva in the Pro Wrestling League, giving the Indian wrestler previous experience against the opponent she must overcome to claim the world title.

However, the earlier result does not guarantee another victory. The World Championships final is a separate contest, and both wrestlers will have the opportunity to adapt their tactics to the circumstances.

Kajal’s performance against Medet Kyzy offers an indication of the strengths she may look to use. Her counterattacks helped her recover in the first period, while her aggressive leg attacks and double-leg takedown proved decisive in the second. Her movement in the closing seconds also prevented the Kyrgyz wrestler from forcing her out of bounds and helped secure the final points.

Maintaining that balance between attacking intent and defensive awareness will be important against Alpyeyeva. The Ukrainian wrestler’s European title establishes her as a formidable opponent, while Kajal’s own performances have shown that she can compete with established international wrestlers.

For India, the final carries significance beyond a single medal. A victory would make Kajal the country’s first women’s wrestling world champion, according to the report, and would cap an extraordinary first season at senior level.

Can Kajal Make History for Indian Women’s Wrestling?

Kajal has already achieved a milestone by reaching the senior World Championships final in the heavyweight category at just 18. Her journey to the gold-medal bout has included a victory over the reigning Asian champion in the quarterfinals and a comeback against the world No. 2 in the semifinals.

The result against Medet Kyzy was especially notable because of the circumstances. Kajal was trailing 1-7, had survived a near-pin and was facing an opponent with a substantially stronger record at the senior World Championships. She nevertheless recovered, narrowed the deficit and took control of the match during the final period.

Her progress also reflects the value of sustained preparation. Success at the U17 and U20 World Championships gave her a strong foundation, while competing at senior level and in other international tournaments during 2026 helped her prepare for tougher opposition.

Now, one contest separates her from a potential world title. Defeating Alpyeyeva would transform Kajal’s breakthrough campaign into a historic achievement for Indian women’s wrestling.

The final will not be easy, but Kajal has already shown that she can recover from setbacks and deliver under pressure. Her victory over Medet Kyzy has placed her in contention for gold, and her earlier win over Alpyeyeva in the Pro Wrestling League adds another element of interest to the matchup.

For the young wrestler from Sonipat, Wednesday’s final represents the culmination of years of training, family support and rapid progress through the sport’s junior ranks. A world title would mark a defining moment in her career and a landmark for India. Until the final is decided, however, the gold medal remains within reach rather than secured.