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Bajrang Punia (born 26 February 1994) is an Indian freestyle wrestler, who competes in the 65-kg weight category. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Punia won a bronze medal by defeating Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov with a wide 8-0 margin.[2] Punia is the only Indian wrestler to win 4 medals at the World Wrestling Championships.[3]

This article needs to be updated. (August 2021)

Bajrang Punia

President Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Arjuna Award to Punia in 2015
Personal information
Nationality	Indian
Born	(1994-02-26) 26 February 1994 (age 28) Khudan, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
Occupation	Wrestler
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	65 kg (143 lb)
Spouse(s)	Sangeeta Phogat (m. 2020)
Sport
Country	India
Sport	Wrestling
Event(s)	Freestyle
Coached by	Sujeet Maan
Medal record Representing  India Men's Freestyle Wrestling Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games - - 1 World Championships - 1 3 Asian Games 1 1 - Commonwealth Games 2 1 - World U23 Wrestling Championships - 1 - Asian Championships 2 4 2 Commonwealth Championships 2 - - Total 7 8 6 Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo 65 kg World Championships 2018 Budapest 65 kg 2013 Budapest 60 kg 2019 Nur-Sultan 65 kg 2022 Belgrade 65 kg Asian Games 2018 Jakarta 65 kg 2014 Incheon 61 kg Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast 65 kg 2022 Birmingham 65 kg 2014 Glasgow 61 kg Asian Championships 2017 New Delhi 65 kg 2019 Xi'an 65 kg 2014 Astana 61 kg 2020 New Delhi 65 kg 2021 Almaty 65 kg 2022 Ulanbator 65 kg 2013 New Delhi 60 kg 2018 Bishkek 65 kg World U23 Championships 2017 Bydgoszcz 65kg Commonwealth Championship 2017 Brakpan 65 kg 2016 Singapore[1] 65 kg Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017 Ashgabat 70 kg Bolat Turlykhanov Cup 2022 Almaty 65 kg

Early life and background

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (August 2021)

Punia was born in the Khudan village of Jhajjar district in the state of Haryana, India.[4][5] He began wrestling at the age of seven and was encouraged to pursue the sport by his father.[6] Punia grew up in rural area. His family did not have money for traditional sports. Instead, he had to partake in free sports like Wrestling and Kabaddi.[7] Punia's father was a wrestler as well and at a young age, his family Enrolled him in a local mud wrestling school. Punia started to skip school to go to wrestling practice.[7]He went to Chattarsal Stadium in 2008 where he was trained by Ramphal Mann. In 2015, his family moved to Sonepat so that he can attend to a regional center of Sports Authority of India.

Currently, he works in the Indian Railways on the post of Gazetted officer OSD Sports.[5] Punia enjoys seeking out knowledge of his village elders.[7]

Punia is married to fellow wrestler Sangeeta Phogat Punia.[8]

Career

2013 Asian Wrestling Championships

In New Delhi, India, in the semi-final bout, Bajrang lost 3-1 to Hwang Ryong-hak of North Korea to win the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 60 kg category.

In the Round of 16, he faced Shogo Maeda of Japan, beating him 3-1. His opponent in the quarter-finals was Morad Hassan of Iran whom he beat 3-1 to qualify for the semi-finals.[9]

2013 World Wrestling Championships

In Budapest, Hungary, Bajrang won the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 60 kg category by qualifying for the bronze medal bout through the repechage round. There, he met Enkhsaikhany Nyam-Ochir of Mongolia and beat him 9-2.

In the Round of 32, he faced Vladimir Dubov of Bulgaria who beat him 7-0. With the Bulgarian grappler qualifying for the final bout, Bajrang then faced Shogo Maeda of Japan and earned a walkover. His next opponent was Ivan Guidea of Romania, and with a 10-3 win over the Romanian, Bajrang earned a spot in the bronze medal bout.[10]

2014 Commonwealth Games

In Glasgow, Scotland, he won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 61 kg category, after losing 1-4 to David Tremblay of Canada.

In the Round of 16, Bajrang faced Sasha Madyarchyk of England and beat him 4-0. He faced Marno Plaatjies of South Africa in the quarter-finals and won 4-1. The Nigerian wrestler, Amas Daniel, was his opponent in the semi-finals and overcame him in a 3-1 score line.[11][12]

2014 Asian Games

In Incheon, South Korea, he won the silver medal in the Men's freestyle 61 kg category, after losing 1-3 to Masoud Esmaeilpoorjouybari of Iran.

In the Round of 16, he faced Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg of Mongolia and beat him 3-1. His quarter-finals opponent was Farkhodi Usmonzoda of Tajikistan whom he beat 4-1 to qualify for the semi-finals. He was assured of a medal when he beat Noriyuki Takatsuka of Japan 4-1 in the semi-finals.[13]

2014 Asian Wrestling Championships

In Astana, Kazakhstan, Bajrang won the silver medal in the men's freestyle 61 kg category, losing 0-4 to Masoud Esmaeilpour of Iran.

In the Round of 16, Bajrang met Lee Seung-Chul of South Korea whom he beat 3-1. In the quarter-finals, he faced Noriyuki Takatsuka of Japan whom he beat 3-1 to qualify for the semi-finals. There he met Nazmandakh Lhamgarmaa of Mongolia whom he beat 3-1 to assure himself of a medal.[14]

2015 World Wrestling Championships

Unlike his fellow Narsingh Yadav, Bajrang wasn't able to win a medal at the tournament in Las Vegas and finished 5th.[15]

In the Round of 32, he met Batboldyn Nomin of Mongolia who beat him 10-0. With the Mongolian qualifying for the final bout in the 61 kg category, Bajrang got a chance to contest in the Repêchage round. His first opponent in the repêchage round was Reece Humphrey of the USA whom he beat 6-0 easily. The second repêchage opponent was Beka Lomtadze from Georgia who put up a fight but was ultimately overcome 13-6 by the Indian. Unfortunately, he fell at the last hurdle, drawing the bronze medal bout 6-6 but his opponent Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine, scoring the last point.[15]

Asian Wrestling Championship 2017

In 2017 May, he won a gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship held in Delhi.[5]

Pro Wrestling League

Bajrang was the second acquisition of the JSW owned Bangalore franchise in the auction conducted in New Delhi. The wrestler was picked up for a sum of Rs 29.5 lakh.[16]

The Pro Wrestling League was scheduled to be held from 10 December to 27 December across six cities.[17]

2018 Commonwealth Games

In Gold Coast, Australia, he won the gold medal in the men's freestyle 65 kg category. He overcame Kane Charig of Wales by Technical Superiority to clinch the gold.[18]

2018 Asian Games

On August 19, he won the Men's freestyle 65 kg /Gold medal. He defeated Japanese Wrestler Takatani Daichi 11-8; the score was locked at 6-6 after the first round.[19][20]

2018 World Wrestling Championships

Bajrang won Silver at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. After that Silver Medal, he claimed World No. 1 in 65 kg category.[21]

2019 World Wrestling Championships

Bajrang won Bronze for the second time at a World Championship, thereby qualifying India for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the 65 kg freestyle wrestling event.

2020 Rome Ranking Series

On 18 January, Bajrang defeated Jordan Oliver 4-3 in the final in the 65 kg freestyle category at the Ranking Series.[22]

Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021

In 2021, he won the gold medal in the 65 kg event at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021 held in Rome, Italy.[23]

2021 Asian Wrestling Championships

He clinched a silver medal at the 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships after losing to Takuto Otoguro in the final.[24]

2020 Tokyo Olympics

On 6 August 2021, he won the pre-quarterfinal match in 65 kg category in 2020 Summer Olympics against Ernazar Akmataliev and his quarter-final match against Morteza Ghiasi Cheka.[25][26]

In the bronze medal match he defeated the Kazakhstani wrestler Daulet Niyazbekov, winning by a margin of 8-0.[27]

Bajrang and other Indian Olympians were featured in a can by the Indian soft drink manufacturer, Thums Up[28]

2022 Commonwealth Games

Bajrang Punia clinched the gold medal with a dominating win over Canada’s Lachlan McNeil in the 65kg final bout at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.[29]

International competitions

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (August 2021)

World Championship

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2022	2022 World Wrestling Championships	Belgrade	65 kg		Sebastian C Rivera (PUR)
2019	2019 World Wrestling Championships	Nur-sultan	65 kg		Daulet Niyazbekov (KAZ)
2018	2018 World Wrestling Championships	Budapest	65 kg		Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
2017	2017 World Wrestling Championships	Paris France	65 kg	13th	Zurabi Iakobishvili (GEO)
2016	2016 World Wrestling Championships	Budapest	61 kg	9th	Akhmednabi Gvarzatilov (AZE)
2015	2015 World Wrestling Championships	Las Vegas	61 kg	5th	Batboldyn Nomin (MGL)
2013	2013 World Wrestling Championships	Hungry	60 kg		Vladimir Dubov (BUL)

U23 World Championship

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2017	2017 World U23 Wrestling Championships	Bydgoszcz	65 kg		Nachyn Kuular (RUS)

Asian Games

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2018	2018 Asian Games	Jakarta	65kg		Daichi Takatani (JPN)
2014	2014 Asian Games	Incheon	61kg		Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI)

Commonwealth Games

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2022	2022 Commonwealth Games	Birmingham	65kg		Lachlan McNeil (CAN)
2018	2018 Commonwealth Games	Gold Coast	65kg		Kane Charig (WAL)
2014	2014 Commonwealth Games	Glasgow	61kg		David Tremblay (CAN)

Asian Wrestling Championship

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2021	2021 Asian Wrestling Championships	Almaty	65kg		Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
2020	2020 Asian Wrestling Championships	New Delhi	65kg		Takuto Otoguro (JPN)
2019	2019 Asian Wrestling Championships	Xi'an	65kg		Sayatbek Okassov (KAZ)
2018	2018 Asian Wrestling Championships	Bishkek	65kg		Daichi Takatani (JPN)
2017	2017 Asian Wrestling Championships	New Delhi	65kg		Seunghui Lee (KOR)
2016	2016 Asian Wrestling Championships	Bangkok	65kg	10th	Kum Su JON (PRK)
2014	2014 Asian Wrestling Championships	Astana	61kg		Masoud Esmaeilpour (IRI)
2013	2013 Asian Wrestling Championships	New Delhi	60kg		Yang Jae-hoon (KOR)

Olympics

Year	Competition	Venue	Event	Rank	Opponent
2021	Tokyo Olympics 2020	Tokyo	65 kg		Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan)

Record against opponents

This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (August 2021)

Awards

• Arjuna Award, 2015[30]
• Padma Shri Award, 2019[31]
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, 2019[32]
• FICCI India Sports Award 2020[33]

For winning the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics

• ₹30 lakh (US$38,000) from the Government of India.[34]
• ₹2.5 crore (US$310,000) from the Government of Haryana.[35]
• ₹25 lakh (US$31,000) from the Board of Control for Cricket in India[36]
• ₹25 lakh (US$31,000) from the Indian Olympic Association[37]

References

External links

• FILA profile
• Bajrang Punia at International Wrestling Database
• Bajrang Punia at Olympedia
• Bajrang Punia at the Commonwealth Games Federation
• Bajrang Punia at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

На других языках

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- [en] Bajrang Punia

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[fr] Bajrang Punia

Bajrang Punia (né le 26 février 1994 dans le district de Jhajjar) est un lutteur indien, spécialiste de lutte libre.

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[it] Bajrang Punia

Bajrang Punia (Jhajjar, 26 febbraio 1994) è un lottatore indiano, specializzato nella lotta libera.[1]

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[ru] Пуния, Баджранг

Баджра́нг Пуния (англ. Bajrang Punia, хинди बजरंग पूनिया, род. 26 февраля 1994, Khudan[d], Харьяна) — индийский борец вольного стиля, чемпион Азии и Азиатских игр, призёр чемпионатов мира. Награждён индийским орденом Падма Шри в 2019 и спортивными премиями Арджуна (2015) и Раджив Ганди Кхел Ратна (2019).

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