Indian wrestling star Deepak Punia has once again made the nation proud by securing a bronze medal in the men's 97kg category at the prestigious Asian Games, further solidifying his impressive international career.
Key Points
- Deepak Punia won a bronze medal in the men's 97kg wrestling at the Asian Games.
- He defeated Mongolia's Gankhuyang Ganbataar with a 2-1 victory to secure the bronze.
- This is Punia's second Asian Games medal, having previously won silver in 2023.
- He successfully transitioned to the 97kg category from his previous 86kg weight division.
- Punia boasts a strong international record, including a 2019 World Championships silver and five Asian Championships medals.
Wrestler Deepak Punia added a second Asian Games medal to his collection, securing the men's 97kg bronze with a 2-1 victory over Mongolia's Gankhuyang Ganbataar here on Saturday.
Punia's Path To Bronze
The 27-year-old Indian, who had won silver at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, had earlier missed out on a place in the final after suffering a narrow 8-9 defeat to Uzbekistan's Sherzod Poyonov in the semifinals.
Moving to 97kg from 86kg weight division, Deepak had begun his campaign with a commanding 12-2 technical superiority win over China's Junpeng Zhou before receiving a walkover from Hong Kong's Vincent Fung Wui Li to enter the semifinals.
The bronze adds to a decent international record for Deepak, who won a silver at the 2019 World Championships, and has five Asian Championships medals to his credit.
