At his first Olympics appearance, Bajrang Punia gave his all on the mat, and won a bronze medal in the 65kg freestyle wrestling event in Tokyo. But the wrestler is not satisfied. “Jo chala gaya vo chala gaya, use badal nahi sakta. I’ve won a medal but it’s not the one I wanted. Nonetheless, I’m happy to have made my country proud,” says the 27-year-old, whose victory is part of India’s biggest medal haul at the quadrennial sports event.
Having started out as one of India’s top contenders, at the games this year, Punia’s bronze gave India its second medal from wrestling in Tokyo after Ravi Dahiya’s silver medal. Punia says, “I was struggling with an injury in my knee, but I knew that the hopes of my nation were pinned on me. So, I moved past the pain and tried my best.”
In his village, Khudan in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, celebrations got a jump-start as soon as the news broke that Punia has won bronze. But Punia has his eyes on Paris 2024. Meanwhile, the first thing on his to-do list post Tokyo Games is to head home and spend time with family. “I spoke to my parents briefly; woh bahut khush hain. First, I’ll head to Sonepat (in Haryana) and spend a few days there. I also need to work on my knee rehab and then start preparations for the World Championship in October,” he adds.
As wishes pour in from all quarters, the Olympian adds, “Because Tokyo Olympics is a huge platform, many people watched the matches, and are now following wrestling more keenly. Logon ka bahut pyar mila hai. I just want to thank everyone for giving me their unwavering support in my journey to Tokyo. But I also want to request people to give love and support to those athletes who lost; they must not lose hope!”
Back home, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced the construction of an indoor stadium in Sonepat. Feeling grateful, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee says, “Haryana has been sending many athletes to Olympics, and announcements have been made for all the athletes. I’m thankful for all the respect and honour that is being bestowed on me, and hope more sportspersons will continue to bring laurels for India.”
Author tweets @bhagat_mallika
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