'Haar nahi maanunga': Sujeet Kalkal's Asian Games 2026 gold mission on the road to LA Olympics
Indian wrestler Sujeet Kalkal is preparing for his debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, viewing it as a crucial step toward his goal of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Despite past setbacks, he remains focused on winning gold in the highly competitive 65kg category.
Why it matters
The article highlights the career trajectory of an emerging athlete and the intense preparation required for continental and global sporting events.
NEW DELHI: The last time Sujeet Kalkal came close to an Olympic dream, he never even got the chance to step on the mat.Now, as he prepares for his maiden Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the 23-year-old wrestler is looking at the continental event as the first major marker of a new Olympic journey - one that he hopes will eventually take him to Los Angeles in 2028.“Asaan nahi tha, bhaisaab. Fir se start kiya hai, haar nahi maanunga. Olympics to sapna hai, poora karna hai bass [It wasn’t easy. I’ve started again, and I won’t give up. The Olympics is a dream, and I have to fulfil it, that’s all],” Sujeet told TimesofIndia.com ahead of the Asian Games.There is reason for that confidence. Sujeet enters Aichi-Nagoya having established himself among the leading wrestlers in the 65kg category.
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