Kurash
Kurash is a standing wrestling sport from Central Asia: two athletes in jackets and belts grip each other and try to throw the opponent to the mat. A clean throw onto the back, called khalol, wins the bout at once; two yonbosh, for throws onto the side, make a khalol. A chala is the lowest score. Only throws from a standing grip are allowed: strangles, arm locks and strikes are penalised.
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How long
Bouts of four minutes for senior men and three for senior women
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1World Kurash ChampionshipsThe sport's own world title.To check
- 2Asian Games (kurash)Asia's multi-sport title; India won its first kurash medals here in 2018 (a silver and a bronze).Every 4 years; held in 2018, 2022 and 2026
India
India has won three Asian Games kurash medals: Pincky Balhara's silver and Malaprabha Jadhav's bronze in the 2018 women's 52 kg (India's first) and Pincky Balhara's bronze in the 2026 women's 78 kg [the register; the Asian Games page].
- Kurash at the Asian Games: 3 medals: Pincky Balhara (silver) and Malaprabha Jadhav (bronze) in the 2018 women's 52 kg, India's first kurash medals [the register]; Pincky Balhara's bronze in the 2026 women's 78 kg
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaKurash at the Asian Games: 1 silver, 2 bronzes (latest 2026)
- UzbekistanKurash at the Asian Games: 13 golds, 3 silvers, 7 bronzes (latest 2026)
- IranKurash at the Asian Games: 3 golds, 5 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2026)
- ChinaKurash at the Asian Games: 2 golds (latest 2022)
- South KoreaKurash at the Asian Games: 1 gold, 2 silvers, 2 bronzes (latest 2026)
Where and when it is played
On a mat called a gilam, 10 to 16 metres square; a senior men's bout lasts four minutes and a women's three. Competitions are knockouts with no repechage. The big events: the World Kurash Championships and the Asian Games, held in 2018, 2022 and 2026.