India Matches Its Best Tally of Olympic Medals as Wrestler Bajrang Punia Claims Bronze in Tokyo

© AP Photo / Anvar IlyasovBajrang Punia
Bajrang Punia - Sputnik International, 1920, 07.08.2021
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Former World No. 1 Bajrang Punia emulated ex-world champion Sushil Kumar and his mentor Yogeshwar Dutt to become just the third Indian wrestler ever to win a medal each at the Olympic, Asian, and Commonwealth Games. However, Bajrang is the only Indian wrestler to win three medals at the World Wrestling Championships.
India's star wrestler and current World No. 2 Bajrang Punia hammered Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan 8-0 in the bronze medal bout of the men's freestyle 65kg category to secure his maiden Olympic medal in Tokyo on Saturday. Bajrang is ranked behind Russia's Rashidov Gadzhimurad in the world rankings. 
Bajrang's medal was also the country's sixth medal in the Japanese capital, matching India's previous best-ever haul of medals, which they achieved in London in 2012.
Bajrang dominated the bout from start to finish, never giving his Kazakh opponent any chance whatsoever in the contest.
Within the blink of an eye, the 27-year-old grabbed an early 2-0 lead before making it 4-0 in his favour with a minute to go in the clash.
Bajrang maintained his stranglehold on the match as he went to register a dominant 8-0 triumph after earning four more points with the help of a takedown and his solid defensive technique.
Bajrang is the seventh Indian wrestler (both men and women) to clinch a medal at the Olympics. He is also the second Indian wrestler to claim a medal in Tokyo after Ravi Kumar Dahiya won a silver medal earlier in the Games.
Bajrang is the fifth Indian male wrestler to win a medal at the quadrennial sports mega-event, his four predecessors being Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (bronze at Helsinki in 1952), Sushil Kumar (bronze in 2008 in Beijing and silver in London 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze in London 2012), and Dahiya (silver in Tokyo).
Bajrang's historic feat was praised by several sports stars and celebs, who posted congratulatory messages for him on social media.
Joining the country's Olympians, cricketers, and film stars in celebrating his bronze medal-winning effort was none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he was proud of his achievement.
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