Tokyo Olympics: Wrestler Bajrang Punia enters semis of men’s freestyle event

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday defeated Iran’s Morteza Ghiasi Cheka in the quarterfinal of the men’s 65kg freestyle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to reach the semi-final of the event. He will now face Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan. Aliev is a three-time world champion and bronze winner from the Rio Games.

After trailing in the first period and briefly in the second period, Bajrang upped the ante and countered his Iranian opponent’s moves.

As the second period moved towards the final minute, Ghiasi looked like making a dangerous move when he got hold of Bajrang’s right leg and almost pulled off a takedown.

But Bajrang not only wriggled out of that clutch, but he also locked the neck of Ghiasi and moved into a position from where he turned his rival, pushed him on the mat and held him with his immense strength to emerge victorious by fall.

Earlier, he beat Kyrgyzstan’s Ernazar Akmataliev and advanced to the quarterfinals.

A day after Ravi Kumar Dahiya gave India its second silver medal at the Summer Games, Bajrang will be hoping to change the colour of the medal and bring home an elusive gold.

A timely take-down move just before the end of the first period put the Indian ahead 3-1 but Akmataliev ran Bajrang close in the second period, getting two push-out points to level the scores.

Since Bajrang had the high scoring move, a two-pointer take down, he was declared the winner on criteria.

It was not the most clean and fluent victories that he is known for, but was just enough for Bajrang, who came into the Games after suffering a minor knee injury during a local Russian tournament.

Earlier, Debutant Indian wrestler Seema Bisla could not find a way to get out of the defensive trap of Tunisia’s Sarra Hamdi and lost her 50kg opening round 1-3.

The 27-year-old could not make her moves as Hamdi applied the body lock to great effect, never allowing Seema to initiate a strong attack.

There hardly any moves in the bout with Hamdi getting two of her three points on push out and one on Seema’s passivity.

Seema got on board when she too pushed her rival out after being put on activity clock for a second time.

She now needs the Tunisian to make the final for return to competition through the repechage route.

The Rohtak grappler had not even won a national event till 2017 but went on to secure her berth for the Games by winning the World Olympic Qualifier, held in Sofia in May.