Silver Lining: Kajal Dhochak’s Olympic Ambitions Grow
New Delhi, November 1: Indian wrestler Kajal Dhochak has said her silver medal at the World Wrestling Championship in Kazakhstan has strengthened her belief that she will earn a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 18-year-old, a two-time Under-20 World Champion, made her senior World Championship debut in the 76kg category and reached the final. There she met Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpieva, a two-time European champion, and lost 6-8 after a closely fought contest.
Speaking to reporters at a media roundtable on Sunday, Kajal said her weight class is included in the Olympic program and qualification is scheduled for next year. Given the fights she produced in the championship, she said she is entirely sure of her Olympic qualification. She added that she had beaten several of the wrestlers she faced in Kazakhstan earlier in her career, including the finalist, whom she believed was not as strong as her.
Reflecting on the final, Kajal said she had taken the lead twice but surrendered points each time. She said she regretted falling back on defensive tactics in the closing seconds when an aggressive approach would have served her better.
The match was tied 2-2 after the first and second rounds on criteria. During the second round, Alpieva executed a double-leg takedown. Kajal replied with a takedown, but Alpieva returned with another double-leg takedown and two points. With six seconds left, Kajal scored a takedown to take a four-point lead, a move she considers pivotal. Time ran out before she could land the winning move.
“The score was 4-4 and I was nearly there. If I had attacked instead of defending in the final moments, the gold would have been mine,” she said.
Looking at the Olympic cycle, Kajal identified areas for improvement, including techniques she is working on. Her coach has told her to strengthen her defense and to sustain her attacking mindset from start to finish, she said.
The silver medal marks a major return for Kajal after a dramatic exit from the Asian Games trials in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The JSW athlete recalled believing she had secured selection with seconds left before the bout swung in the final moments. She said she had taken time to process the loss and then immediately returned to training for the world event, where she won a medal.
Kajal shows no sign of slowing down. She is preparing for the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship trials, the Senior National Championship and the Pro Wrestling League, with senior Asian ranking events to follow.