Bajrang Punia is step by step but surely on the way to asserting himself as one of the most decorated Indian wrestlers in India. The 28-year-old from Haryana won her second Commonwealth Games Gold medal, successfully defending her men’s 65kg class in Birmingham on Friday, August 5.
Bajrang Punia completed a Commonwealth Games medal hat-trick with Gold in Birmingham adding to his Glasgow Gold and Silver (61kg) categories. The only Indian to win 3 World Championship medals stands on the top step of the podium after knocking out opponents en route to glory.
Bajrang came out against 21-year-old Lachlan McNeil of Canada, who found the Indian’s expertise and experience too hot to handle.
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Bajrang did not concede a point during his run to the final in Birmingham but he did concede 2 against McNeil, who had a strong fight against the hot Indian favorite. Bajrang entered the half-time with a 4-0 lead.
He conceded 2 points through a knockdown in the second half but Bajrang used all his experience to pull out of the encirclement. In the end, Bajrang won the Gold medal, beating McNeil 9-2.
The Indian wrestler has been criticized for not being aggressive enough at the Tokyo Olympics and he has highlighted how concerns about a recurring knee injury affect his approach at the level. highest level.
On Friday, however, Bajrang appeared to have put aside negative thoughts to put on a strong display to defend his crown.
Bajrang Punia burst into flames against England’s George Ramm in the semi-final, knocking him out with superior technique (no points were scored by the opponent).
Bajrang Punia needed less than two minutes to progress to the 65kg quarterfinals at the Commonwealth Games when he pinned Naurau’s Lowe Bingham in the opening half. He beat Mauritius’ Jean Guyliane Joris Bandou 6-0 over the fall to secure a place in the semi-finals.
Bajrang, who was once one of the faces of the 65kg category in world wrestling, missed out on the Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics despite arriving in the Japanese capital last year as a favorite. like most. Bajrang revealed after winning bronze at the Olympics that he had injured his knee to compete in the Olympics.
“15 days after I got that knee injury, I also pulled my left hamstring but I didn’t want to cause panic, so kept quiet and decided to fight the injury,” Bajrang said. said after the Olympics.
Trauma is affecting his mind as he cuts back to the aggressive approach that has brought him success at the highest level. Bajrang was also injured after the Tokyo Olympics.
On Friday, however, Bajrang proved he can bounce back from setbacks and has the mental strength to keep the fire burning for his Paris 2024 dreams.
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