For Punia, it’s never over till it’s over
World No 1 wrestler in 65kg, Bajrang Punia’s frenetic explosion of action on the mat will be crucial in his bid to win a medal in Tokyo
NEW DELHI: Bajrang Punia swoops down on Daichi Takatani like a hawk on its prey. It’s the title contest at the 2018 Asian Games. The clock has only 30 seconds on it since the start of the bout but Takatani finds himself under siege.
In one swift move, Punia pulls him to his right, twirls around holding the Japanese by his waist, and brings him down. Takatani is now stretched out flat on the mat and Punia’s muscular arms and legs are choking the Japanese, trying to move him sideways. Takatani somehow survives the pin, conceding four more points. Punia leads 6-0 but the contest is far from over.
The young Japanese is no slouch—as fast and aggressive as Punia, he now goes into an attacking frenzy. With two minutes left on the clock, the scores are level. The next two minutes are a blur of attacks and counterattacks, but in the end, it’s Punia who runs away with the match 10-8. A slender gap, but enough to hand Punia his first Asiad gold—the beginning of a tremendous run of form that will see him win two world championship medals and become the world’s No 1 wrestler in the 65kg category. He will go into Tokyo holding that rank.
That Asiad title fight is how Punia lives on the mat. A frenetic, hold-your-breath explosion of action from start to finish. If the tables are turned and Punia finds himself trailing by a heap, he will continue to try and win—no opponent is safe till the buzzer goes.
There is rarely a dull moment when the world No.1 is on the mat. You may think it’s par for the course, but actually there aren’t many in world wrestling who can keep the energy and pace as high as Punia does for the entirety of a six-minute bout. That alone makes him a standout wrestler and a strong medal contender at Tokyo, let alone his technical prowess and his sheer strength.
“(Mera game bout ko six minutes lagatar chalane ka hai). My game is to last for six minutes and give it all,” Punia said on a Zoom call from his training base at Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS) in Bellary, Karnataka. “I want the bout to run the way I want but it can’t be that I will be in control for the full six minutes. My opponents come prepared with their tactics. So, whenever I go for an attack, my attempt is to apply it at the right time. For me the best technique is the one that helps me win the bout.”
High expectations
Punia’s relentless pursuit for supremacy began before the Asian Games in fact—that gold was part of an exceptional run during the four-year period that saw him win five straight medals at the Asian Championships (2017-2021), including two gold medals, gold at the Commonwealth Games and a silver and bronze at successive world championships (2018, 19).
“Every time he is on the mat, he is expected to win (a) gold medal,” said Punia’s coach Emzarios Bentinidis, who is from Georgia. “That’s how it has been for him.” Bentinidis is not only Punia’s coach but also his sparring partner at IIS. “It’s a good place to train. I also need good training partners. In India, I don’t have many,” Punia said.
In his category, Punia has no match in the country. Jitender Kinha in 74kg was his training partner last year and they sparred together at IIS. But after an injury to Kinha, Punia made plans to shift outside of India for the rest of his training, hopefully in Europe till the Tokyo Olympics begins on July 23.