World Wrestling Championships LIVE – Bajrang Punia wins bronze: India’s Bajrang Punia has won a record fourth medal at the World Wrestling Championship as he defeated Puerto Rico’s Sebastian Siverra 10-9 in a thrilling contest on Sunday. With this, Bajrang has ended India’s rather disappointing campaign at the World Championship on a good note as he won the country’s second medal in the tournament after Vinesh Phogat won the bronze earlier this week. Follow World Wrestling Championships 2022 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
This is Punia’s 4th medal at the World Wrestling Championships. This is a maximum medal haul for any Indian athlete at the World Wrestling Championships.
World Wrestling Championships LIVE: Bajrang Punia wins bronze medal at World Wrestling Championships: Follow LIVE Updates
World Wrestling Championships LIVE: Bajrang Punia wins bronze medal at World Wrestling Championships: Follow LIVE Updates
Results today
Bronze medal match
Bajrang Punia BEAT Sebastian Siverra 10-9
Repechage
Bajrang Punia BEAT Vazgen Tevanyan 7-6
4️⃣th Worlds medal for @BajrangPunia 🤼♂️
Our Tokyo Olympics BRONZE medalist has bagged a BRONZE🥉 again. This time at the Wrestling World Championships (FS 65kg) in Belgrade🤩
His World Championships CV now:
SILVER – 2018
BRONZE – 2013, 2019, 2022#WrestleBelgrade pic.twitter.com/vF1kOEEflL— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 18, 2022
Just like his repechage, Bajrang conceded six points to his opponent early on in the game. But he however made a good comeback as he got a four-pointer against his opponent to get on to the score sheet. He then won couple more points to level the scores. But he gave away two points and went into the break with the score at 6-8.
At the start of the second half too, he trailed for the major part with the scores at 8-9, with less than 90 seconds to go, Bajrang managed to get a couple of points to take a slender lead. With the score at 10-9, and less than 10 seconds to go, an under-pressure Siverra managed to roll his opponent over but before he could complete his move the final whistle was blowed and Bajrang was adjudged the winner in the nail-biting contest.
Before this contest, Bajrang was already the only Indian to win three medals at the world championship as he won bronze medals in 2013 and 2019, while he bagged a silver medal at the 2018 edition of the tournament. With one more medal to his kitty he has extended his record medal haul at the World Championship.
World Wrestling Championships LIVE: Bajrang Punia to fight for bronze medal, set to begin action in repechage round – Follow World Wrestling Championships LIVE updates
Earlier in the repechage, Bajrang Punia took time to settle early on in the game, but his opponent made use of the slow start and gave a scare as he lead 0-4 by the end of the half-time. With pressure mounting on Bajrang, the Indian kept his calm and found the right opportunity to grab his opponent from behind and quickly rolled him over thrice to quickly get six points on the trot and led 7-4. From then on, he ensured he maintained his lead. In the dying moments, Tevanyan managed to get two points to come close but in the end it was not enough as he lost 7-6.
On Saturday, Bajrang started his campaign against two-time Worlds bronze medallist Cuban Alejandro Valdes. Bajrang won 5-4 despite picking up an injury during the bout. He was hit on head after the two wrestlers collided with each other.
Bajrang put on a strap to protect the injury during his next bout. He lost to former Pan-American champion John Diakomihalis of the USA 10-0 in the quarterfinals. But he could reach the repechage as the American made it to the final.
World Wrestling Championships LIVE: Bajrang Punia wins bronze medal at World Wrestling Championships: Follow LIVE Updates
