Coach Bentinidis’s suggestion of attack first helped, says wrestler Sujeet Kalkal
Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal credits his foreign coach, Shako Bentinidis, for his success at the Asian Games. By adopting an aggressive style and mastering the 'dhobi pachhad' technique, Kalkal secured a gold medal in the 65kg freestyle category.
Why it matters
The success of Indian athletes in international wrestling highlights the impact of foreign coaching expertise and strategic training on national performance.
Wrestler Sujeet Kalkal thanks foreign coach Shako Bentinidis for encouraging him to adopt an attacking approach and employing the ‘dhobi pachhad’ (arm throw) technique, which made key contributions in his Asian Games gold medal win on debut.
Kalkal, who carried forward iconic wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia’s legacy to win the freestyle 65kg title, acknowledged Bentinidis’ role.
“Since my attack is good, Shako asked me to attack from the first bout,” said Kalkal, who was named India’s male athlete of the Games, during an interaction facilitated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday.
Sujeet Kalkal with coach Shako Bentinidis after winning the men’s freestyle 65kg wrestling final in the Asian Games 2026, in Nagoya, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI
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