Punia opens India’s account by wresting gold at Asiad
Commonwealth champion Bajrang Punia gave India its first Asian Games gold in 65kg wrestling on Sunday after veteran Sushil Kumar suffered a shock firstround exit in Jakarta.
Punia, who won a silver at the 2014 edition in Incheon, battled past Japan’s Daichi Takatini 11-8 in a hard-fought final bout.
Punia attacked from the word go to lead by 6-0 in the first minute of play, before the Japanese wrestler closed the gap through a series of counter attacks. But the Indian, who lost to Takatini in the quaterfinals of the Asian Championships in March, prevailed to give his country the first gold of the 18th edition of the Asiad.
“I have taken revenge of my Asian Championship loss and I dedicate my gold to late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (who passed away on August 16),” an emotional Punia told reporters.
“There was no pressure on me to perform (after other Indians had lost their bouts). I am not the one who takes pressure, rather believe in concentrating on my performance,” he added.
Punia won all his bouts on technical superiority but was tested in the final with a determined Takatini holding him till the last with a challenge.
Earlier Kumar, a two-time Olympic medallist and a medal favourite in the 74kg category, lost to Adam Batirov of Bahrain 3-5 despite vocal support from Indian fans.
Kumar’s chance of making the repechage round also went up in smoke after Batirov lost his quarterfinal to Japan’s Yuhi Fujinami. If Batirov had made the final, Kumar would have had a chance to win bronze through repechage.
The 35-year-old was exempted from the Indian trials for the Asian Games, given his past results including winning his third Commonwealth gold in Australia’s Gold Coast in April. It was Uzbekistan’s Bekzod Abdurakhmonov who ruled the 74kg category after pinning down Daniyar Kaisanov of Kazakhstan 3-2 to clinch gold.
Meanwhile mon go lia’ sbekh bay ar Erdenebat thrashed Kum Song Kang of North Korea 8-2 to claim the 57kg gold.