Asian Games 2023: Bajrang Punia Makes Medal-less Exit; Aman Wins Bronze

Bajrang Punia, who entered the Asian Games after escaping the selection trials, suffered embarrassing defeats to make a medal-less exit from Hangzhou even as three other Indian wrestlers, including the talented Aman Sehrawat, won bronze medals on Friday. An under-prepared Bajrang, who spent a major part of this year protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, began with two easy wins but appeared clueless against the formidable Iranian Rahman Amouzadkhalili and Japan's Kaiki Yamaguchi.(Asian Games 2023 Medals Tally | Asian Games 2023 Full Schedule)

Vishal Kaliraman had won the Asian Games trials but the IOA ad-hoc panel, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, had handed Bajrang a direct entry, a decision which invited criticism from the wrestling fraternity.

Sending defending champion Bajrang, someone who was terribly short of competition time this year, in the tough men's 65kg competition proved to be a mistake by the Bajwa-led panel.

Even Vinesh Phogat, a leading face of the wrestlers' protest, was spared from the trials but, as luck would have it, she suffered an injury and Antim Pangal got to compete and made an impression by winning a bronze medal in Hangzhou.

Bajrang was routed 1-8 by Iran's Amouzadkhalili in the semifinals after he beat weak opponents in the Philippines' Ronil Tubog (8-1) and Bahrain's Alibeg Alibegov (4-0).

Seeing an easy rival in his opening bout would have eased Bajrang's nerves and he began with a four-pointer to go on board. The Philippines wrestler looked too overwhelmed, and could not make a single move while Bajrang raced to an 8-0 lead in the first period.

It was a matter of one take-down move, and defending champion Bajrang found that soon to finish the bout by technical superiority.