Tokyo Olympics: Wrestler Bajrang Punia loses in semis, to play for bronze

India’s Bajrang Punia lost his men’s freestyle 65kg bout to Azerbaijan’s Haji Aliev at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, on Friday. Bajrang, who was aiming to reach the gold medal match, was outclassed by a superior opponent. The Indian wrestler lost the match 5-12 in a lop-sided affair.

Bajrang will now play for the bronze medal. This comes a day after India got a wrestling silver medal in the form of Ravi Kumar Dahiya and came agonisingly close to getting bronze as world no 2 Deepak Punia squandered an opportunity.

Rio Olympics bronze-winner Aliev of Azerbaijan consistently attacked Bajrang’s legs and twice got himself into position from where he could roll the Indian comfortably for easy two-point throws.

Trailing 1-4 after the first period, Bajrang looked for a big attack but Aliev effected a counter takedown, placing his shoulder close to the thighs of Bajrang and threw the Indian for a huge 8-1 lead.

The Azerbaijani was losing steam and Bajrang got two take-downs to reduce the deficit but the required big move never came. Under 30 seconds left in the bout, Bajrang desperately looked for an attack but Aliev did not let him do that by gripping him in a strong body lock.

Bajrang will now fight for bronze. If he manages to win, India will match its best result at the Olympics. Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt had won a silver and a bronze at the 2012 London Games.

En route to the semi-final, Bajrang defeated Iran’s Morteza Ghiasi Cheka in the quarterfinal.

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 wriggled out of that clutch, turned his rival, pushed him on the mat and held him with his immense strength to emerge victorious by fall.

Currently ranked world number 1 ranking in the 65kg category, he achieved the ranking after he won a silver medal at the 2018 World Wrestling Championship. He booked his Tokyo Olympics berth after taking home a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championship.