NAGOYA: Fujimae-higata is a tidal flat that has survived a few scares — from industrial expansion to a proposal to convert it into a garbage disposal site. However, the conservationists and people of Nagoya led a campaign to conserve the site. The ecologically sensitive wetland was converted into a Ramsar site that harbours a variety of water birds.
Next to the site is the stunningly beautiful Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre where the wrestling competitions are held. On the mat, one Indian wrestler was trying to change the fortunes of Greco-Roman wrestling in India. India is not known to be the best exponents of this difficult form of sport. It is not part of traditional dangals. It lacks popularity; players too are sparse and so are the coaches. Besides, the style is also not part of Pro Wrestling League, a franchise-based wrestling tournament held in India.
Nitesh Siwach wants to change that perception with his silver-winning performance on Thursday. With this show, Nitesh became the first Greco-Roman wrestler from the country since 1962 to play a final in this style of wrestling at the Asian Games since 1962 when Ganpat Andalkar had finished on the top of the podium in the +97kg weight category.
On the mat, Nitesh’s match seemed a bit sedate. He tried but could not overpower his Japan opponent Nakazato Yuri, who eventually won 4-0. Yuri used his strong upper body to thwart Nitesh’s attempts to secure points. Nitesh knew as much and confessed after the match that he missed out something during the match. “I didn't fully understand it,” he said. “But I know for sure that I could have done much better and won the gold medal. There were a few shortcomings on my end, and I will work on improving them.”
Coach Hargobind Singh also talked about his ward's show and opined Nitesh conceded points by being too aggressive. "The strategy was simple - earn passivity penalty in the form of par terre (ground wrestling position). He was about to get it but he kept pushing the Japanese. Then he gave away point instead of earning it while pushing his opponent out. This all cost him the match," the coach said.
Meanwhile, the build-up to the match was more exciting than the bout itself. Towards the end Yuri hurt his knee. Matches can be unpredictable, too. A few months ago, at the 2026 Asian Championships, Yuri had lost in 40 seconds to Islam Yevloyev of Kazakhstan. The Japanese avenged the loss when he defeated the Kazakh wrestler 10-0 in his first bout on Thursday. The field in Asia is gold level. “Looking at the bracket, there were top-tier athletes from Kazakhstan and Iran, and I’ve been beaten in about 40 seconds at this year’s Asian championships,” he said in the mixed zone.
After a Wednesday high, this is the best medal for India when most sports including shooting drew a blank. Even archery disappointed with just one bronze in compound — a discipline that gave India five gold last edition, symbolic of India’s campaign here.
Nitesh turned into a Greco-Roman wrestler after an operation to his knee. He was forced to go off the mat. While not pursuing the sport, he started helping his father Anand Siwach deliver milk to different households in Panipat which is about 40m from his village. He used to leave home in Jagsi village of Gohana tehsil early in the morning and return around 5pm.
Nitesh was undergoing rehabilitation at home when his father asked him to work instead of sitting idle. Selling milk had its downside – no offs. “I used to sell milk every day for two years,” he said. “Then I realized there wasn't a single day off in that job. So I decided to request my family — mom, dad, uncles — and ask for six months to give wrestling another shot.”
That sparked the turnaround. He met Om Prakash Dahiya who started to train him and built ambition in him. NItesh too started dreaming but was not sure where he would end. After winning the Asian Games silver his next ambition now – a world championships medal.
“I started training at Pratap Sports School in Kharkhoda, Sonepat,” he said. “My gurus, coach Om Prakash Dahiya and coach Sandeep Olanga (Sandeep Dalal also known as Olanga in the school), gave me a lot of attention. Om Prakash sir understood me and motivated me, saying, ‘Son, you will become a world champion one day.’ I haven't become a world champion yet, but I feel I will do very well in the future. The World Championships are in 20 days.”
Nitesh with his silver medal in Nagoya has brought Greco Roman wrestling in focus and hoped this would change things for the better. "To prove something, I won a silver medal today. We spoke to them (PWL organisers), and they said, 'Win medals, and we will include you in the Pro League as well.' So we will request the Pro Wrestling League officials to include Greco-Roman this time," Nitesh signed off.
