Indian wrestler Nitesh Siwach created history on the wrestling mat at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya by claiming a monumental silver medal in the Greco-Roman discipline. Competing in the 97kg weight division, Siwach fell short in the gold medal bout against Japan's Yuri Nakazato, but his podium finish brought an end to an agonising 64-year drought for Indian Greco-Roman wrestling at the continental showpiece.
India's First Asian Games Greco-Roman Final Since 1962
Prior to Siwach's campaign in Japan, the pinnacle of Indian Greco-Roman wrestling at the Asian Games dated back to the 1962 edition, when Ganpat Andalkar secured a historic gold medal in the 97+kg heavyweight category. In all the decades that followed, Indian Greco-Roman grapplers had neither clinched a gold medal nor managed to qualify for a single final at this multi-sport championship. Siwach's silver medal has rewritten that long-standing record.
Overcoming Career-Threatening Injury and Selling Milk
Hailing from Jagsi village in Haryana's Sonipat district, Siwach's path to the continental podium was fraught with setbacks. While training at the Pratap Sports School, he suffered a severe knee injury that required surgical intervention. The setback was so demoralising and physically demanding that he was forced to step away from active wrestling, spending his recovery period helping his family deliver milk door-to-door.
His father, Anand Siwach, collected milk from their village to distribute either from their local shop or through doorstep deliveries in Panipat. Having harboured a passion for wrestling in his youth that he could never pursue himself, the elder Siwach remained dedicated to his son's sporting career. After working the delivery rounds, the young athlete eventually asked his father if returning to the sport was still viable, and with his parents' encouragement, he embarked on the rigorous comeback journey.
A Dominant Route Through the Tournament Bracket
Entering the 97kg competition with an opening-round bye, Siwach began his medal push in the quarter-finals against Turkmenistan's Amanberdi Agamamedov, executing a composed 7-1 victory. He maintained that momentum in the semi-finals against Mongolia's Gankhuyag Ganbaatar, who had claimed a bronze medal at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Siwach swept past the Mongolian opponent with a commanding 9-0 scoreline to seal his place in the title decider.
