New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): India secured 20 medals on the first two finals days of the 47th World Armwrestling & 28th World Para Armwrestling Championship 2026 at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, East Delhi, ranking fourth by total medals only behind Russia, Kazakhstan and Trkiye.

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary & Minority Affairs, and Anurag Singh Thakur, MP (Hamirpur) and Former Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, graced Thursday's inauguration, as per a press release. 

Staged in India for the first time, the Championship is hosted by the People's Armwrestling Federation of India (PAFI), spearheaded by Preeti Jhangiani, President of PAFI, Vice President of AAF and Co-founder of Pro Panja League; and Parvinn Dabass, Co-founder of Pro Panja League under the World Armwrestling Federation. 

WAF President Assen Hadjitodorov; General Secretary Mircea Simionescu-Simicel; Asian Armwrestling Federation President Mr. Jeenbek Mukambetov and Armwrestling Australia President Phil Rasmussen also attended the event.

India's Masters won 4 Gold, 1 Silver and 7 Bronze. Jincymol Sebastian won Grand Master Women 80 kg on both arms, India's only double gold, while Yogesh Choudhary (Master Women +80 kg) and Shoukath VT (Master Men -60 kg) took Right-arm gold and Left-arm bronze. Minimol Jose and Preetha C took silver and bronze in Grand Master Women +80 kg Right, and Priya Payyan Kunhiveettil (Master Women 80 kg) and Mini K (Grand Master Women 70 kg) won bronze on both arms.

The Pro Panja League (PPL), co-founded by Preeti Jhangiani and Parvinn Dabass, gives Indian arm wrestlers a professional platform to shine on big stages. Fresh off the podium, Yogesh Choudhary (Gold, Master Women +80 kg Right; Bronze, Left) and Aabhas Rana (Bronze, Junior Boys +90 kg Left) will feature in the line-up for the upcoming PPL Poonawalla Gold Edition II in Pune on November 28, 2026, organized by PPL in partnership with the Poonawalla Group, and the tournament will serve as a high-profile showcase featuring elite Indian and international armwrestlers. 

Jimmison Marwein led India's youngsters with silver in Youth Men 65 kg. Aabhas Rana (Junior Boys +90 kg), Laithansanga (Youth Men -55 kg), Ajay Kumar (Youth Men 60 kg) and Vishnupriya P (Youth Women 80 kg) took bronze, as did Sub-Junior Boys Aryan Singh (-45 kg), Yumnam Chingkhei Singh (50 kg) and Shane Salish (70 kg). (ANI)