NUR-SULTAN (KAZAKHSTAN), Sept 20: Bajrang Punia on Friday won bronze at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. Facing Mongolian Tulga Tumur Ochir, Bajrang fought back from a 6-0 deficit to win 8-7 in what turned out to be a thrilling bronze medal bout. This is the 25-year-old�s second consecutive senior Worlds medal and third overall.
Ochir started strong, taking two points in the first 15 seconds and then four more with a chest throw. Bajrang responded with a counter and earned two points and at the end of the first period, the score was 6-2 in the Mongolian�s favour.
However, Bajrang came out all guns blazing in the second period. He managed to get Ochir with a leg shot and collected six successive points to lead 8-6. Ochir got another point for step out but that was all he could manage.
This is Bajrang�s second consecutive World Championship medal after his silver at Budapest 2018. This is also his third medal at the senior World�s with his first coming in 2013. Bajrang had earlier sealed a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by qualifying for the bronze medal bout.
Returning to the World Championship after eight years, double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar lost his opening round bout to Azerbaijan�s Khadzhimurad Gadzhiyev.
Using all his experience, the wily Indian had raced to a 9-4 lead but lost seven points in a row to lose the 74 kg qualification bout. � Agencies
