Asian Games 2023: Bajrang fails to win medal in Hangzhou but India take wrestling tally to 5

India won 3 wrestling medals, taking their overall tally at the Asian Games to 5 in the sport but their star wrestler and Tokyo Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia drew a blank.

Bajrang Punia, the Gold medalist in Jakarta and silver medalist in Incheon, was blown away in the bronze medal match of men's 65kg freestyle category to young Japan wrestler Kaiki Yamaguchi. The Japan wrestler defeated Bajrang by technical superiority in the second period as the bronze medal bout did not go the distance.

The lack of match practice for Bajrang in the recent past showed as he was



outdone by Yamaguchi's pace in the bronze medal bout.

Bajrang opened his campaign with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Tubog Ronil of Philippines and then went on to beat Bahrain's Alibeg Alibegov in a hard-fought 1/4 final bout 4-0.

However, he was beaten by Iran's Rahman Amouzadkhalili 8-1 in the semi-finals. The lack of practice under his belt after having been out of action for close to a year showed on the mat as Bajrang lacked pace and precision.

It was the first time in 9 years Bajrang returned from the Asian Games without a medal.