Grapplers Vinesh, Anshu seal Paris Olympics quota
Vinesh, one of the main faces of the wrestlers’ protest last year, defeated Kazakhstan’s Laura Ganikyzy in the 50kg semifinal to inch closer to competing at her third straight Olympics.
After winning the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, India grappler Bajrang Punia has insisted that he will not consider the medal as “victory”, but will use it as a motivation to perform better in the future.
“Sometimes defeat teaches you something which even a victory cannot. I will not consider this bronze medal as a victory for myself but will use it as an inspiration to face upcoming challenges. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat,” Punia tweeted in Hindi on Saturday.
See the tweet:
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कुछ हार ऐसी सीख सीखा जाती है जो जीतने पर शायद कभी न मिले। इस कांस्य पदक को जीत न मानकर, मैं आने वाली चुनौतियों के लिए इसे एक स्मारिक बनाकर प्रेरित होता रहूंगा।🙏 जय हिन्द जय भारत 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/vcAwkm1VAV
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) September 21, 2019
In Nur-Sultan on Friday, 25-year-old Bajrang held off a spirited challenge from Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia, who had raced to a 6-0 lead but the Indian ruled the second period with a flurry of moves to defeat the Mongolian 8-7.
This was Punia’s second consecutive senior Worlds medal and third overall.
Along with Punia, Ravi Kumar Dahiya also bagged bronze in the 57-kg category after beating Iran’s reigning Asian champion Reza Atri 6-3 to win his maiden Worlds medal.
It is to note that both Punia and Dahiya had already sealed a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by qualifying for the bronze medal round of World Championships.
India clinched a total of three medals at the event as Vinesh Phogat had also won a bronze in women’s 53-kg event. The last time India won three medals at the Worlds was in 2013 when Amit Dahiya, Bajrang and Sandeep Tulsi Yadav stood on the podium.
(With agency inputs)
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