Shrugging off his controversial semifinal defeat, Bajrang Punia bagged his third World Championship medal while Ravi Dahiya made his debut memorable by grabbing a bronze in Nursultan, Kazakhstan on Friday.
Punia was already India’s only multiple-medallist at the Worlds and he consolidated his record with his narrow 8-7 win over Mongloia’s Tulga Tumur Ochir, the under-23 Asian champion.
He held off a spirited challenge from Ochir who had raced to a 6-0 lead but true to his style, Punia ruled the second period with a flurry of moves.
With this bronze, Punia became the first Indian to win three medals at the Wrestling Worlds.
Dahiya, later in the evening, was up against Reza Ahmadali Atrinagharchi, the reigning Asian champion from Iran, and capped his stunning debut with a 6-3 win in the bronze medal bout.
Both Punia and Dahiya had ensured a Olympic quota in their categories with their wins on Thursday.
Here’s Punia’s bronze medal bout:
Here’s Dahiya’s bronze medal bout:
