Las Vegas: Indian wrestler Vishvajit Ramchandra More created history at the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas by winning silver in the men’s 55kg Greco-Roman category on Wednesday, October 14.

Competing in the final, More went down 12-13 to Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in the closing seconds of an absorbing bout. Despite the narrow defeat, the result marked a landmark for Indian wrestling: More became the country’s first Greco-Roman wrestler to reach an U23 World Championship final and its first to win a silver medal at the tournament.

The two-time U23 bronze medallist produced an impressive run through a demanding draw. He began with a 10-8 victory over Mexico’s Isaac Marin Mata before overpowering Iran’s U20 world champion Armin Shamsipour 8-1 in the quarter-finals, using a four-point throw to decisive effect.

More then defeated Russia’s Malik Gigiev 6-4 in a tense semi-final to secure his place in the title match. His performances underlined both technical maturity and composure against some of the strongest young wrestlers in the world.

The silver medal is a major breakthrough for India in Greco-Roman wrestling, a discipline in which the country has traditionally had less international success than in freestyle. More’s achievement is expected to raise expectations for the 55kg category and provide a significant boost to India’s U23 programme.

With the championship still under way, More’s historic medal has given the Indian contingent an early cause for celebration in Las Vegas.