U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021: Sunil Kumar in repechage while others out early

India's Sunil Kumar lost in the round of 16 of the 87kg weight division to Aleksandr Komarov. Sunil will now confront in repechage since Komarov reached the finals.

Former Asian champion Sunil Kumar was India's only Greco-Roman wrestler who made his way in the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2021 in Belgrade on Monday.

Sunil Kumar made it to the 87kg division's main draw after ousting Filip Smetko of Croatia 6-3 in the qualifiers. But he lost 6-2 to two-time U20 Junior World Champion and U23 European champion Aleksandr Komarov of the Russian Wrestling Federation in the pre-quarter-finals.

Also read: World Junior Wrestling Championship: India's Ravinder Wins Silver, 3 Others Bag Bronze

Sunil Kumar, the world No. 37 in his category, however, will compete in the repechage round for the bronze medal on Tuesday since Komarov reached the final.

The 22-year-old Indian tussler will face Iran's Naser Alizadeh in the first round of repechage.

The four other Indian wrestlers in action on Day 1, though, were ousted from the competition.

In the 63 kg division, Neeraj was put away 9-0 by the 2019 World bronze medalist Ali Reza Nejati of Iran in the round of 16.

Earlier, Arshad lost to Adem Burak Uzun of Turkey 7-1 in the 55kg round of 16 clashes, while Sajan couldn't go past the qualifying stage of 77kg, losing by technical superiority to Dmytro Vasetskyi D of Ukraine.

Aryan Panwar, representing India in the 130kg, also exited in the pre-quarter-finals, going down to European medallist Fatih Bozkurt of Turkey.