Rome: Ace India grappler Bajrang Punia started 2020 with a bang as he bagged a gold medal by defeating American Jordan Michael Oliver 4-3 in the 65kg freestyle category at the Ranking Series here on Saturday.
- Bajrang started with a closely-fought first-round bout against Allen Rutherford of the US, which he ended up winning 5-4. He then faced Rutherford's compatriot Joseph Christopher McKenna in the quarterfinal and won 4-2.
- He then beat Ukraine's Vasyl Shuptar 6-4 to assure himself of a spot in the final where he defeated Jordan Michael Oliver to bag gold medal.
- With the win, Bajrang won his fourth gold at the Ranking Series event.
Moments after losing his bout against the Indian, Oliver congratulated Bajrang and appreciated his competitive spirit. “Wasnt my night… but I got a lot of work to do to be where I want to be! Hats off to @BajrangPunia dude is heck of a competitor! Until next time my friend,” the American tweeted.
Meanwhile, Jitender (74kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg) was knocked out earlier in the day, while Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who is competing in the 61kg instead of his usual 57kg category, won both his rounds. He beat Moldova's Alexandru Chirtoaca in the first round and Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev in the second. He will face Nurbolat Abdualiyevof Kazakhstan later in the day.