Tokyo: Grappler Bajrang Punia won a bronze medal in the men's freestyle 65kg category in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics after defeating Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov here at the Makuhari Messe Hall A Mat B on Saturday. Punia defeated Niyazbekov 8-0 in the bronze medal match.
As a result of this win, India has equalled its tally of six medals recorded at the London Olympics 2012. In the ongoing Tokyo 2020, Mirabai Chanu (silver), PV Sindhu (bronze), Lovlina Borgohain (bronze), men's hockey team ( bronze), and Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver) have also won medals.
In the match between Punia and Niyazbekov, the World No. 2 Indian went on to take a 2-0 lead in the first period and all the pressure was on the Kazakh opponent heading into the last three minutes.
In the final three minutes, Bajrang managed to hold his own and he kept his opponent at bay walking away with a bronze medal.
India's Bajrang Punia defeated Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan in men's freestyle 65kg bronze medal match.
Earlier in the morning his father Balwan Singh said that his son would not return from Tokyo emptyhanded.
"In the morning Bajrang called me and he was looking happy. I said 'that you didn't play your game. I watched all your three matches and you were not playing your usual self. You were just playing mentally and couldn't attack properly," Balwan Singh told ANI on Saturday.
"He will not return empty-handed. I told him you are not losing son, you are winning and give your best even today," Balwan Singh added.
Earlier on Friday, Bajrang faced a crushing defeat in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics at the hands of Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan in the men's freestyle 65kg event. Aliyev defeated Bajrang 12-5 as the former dominated proceedings from the word go.
The Indian grappler will play the bronze medal match on Saturday against Senegal's Adama Diatta or Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov.
ANI
