New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated India’s star grapplers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat on winning the bronze medal in their respective categories at the Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade.
“Our wrestlers make us proud. Congrats to @Phogat_Vinesh and @BajrangPunia on their Bronze medal wins at the World Wrestling Championships, Belgrade. This is special for both as Vinesh becomes the 1st Indian woman to win 2 medals on this platform and Bajrang wins his 4th medal,” PM tweeted.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, Bajrang, won a bronze medal in the men’s 65kg on the final day of the World Wrestling Championships on Sunday. It was his fourth medal at the world championships. He has silver in 2018 and bronze medals in 2013 and 2019.
Vinesh bagged the bronze medal in women’s 53kg freestyle division through repechage– her second world championships medal.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur too extended his greetings to Bajrang, he said: “Bajrang Punia shows his sporting class again!! He has bagged his 4th medal at the Senior World Wrestling Championships with a bronze at the 2022, Belgrade edition. Congratulations Champ!”
Wrestling with a heavy bandage on his head due to the injury he sustained during Saturday’s pre quarter-finals, Bajrang produced a spirited fightback against Puerto Rico’s Sebastian Rivera, after trailing 0-6 in the first 20 seconds of the bout.
Bajrang then countered it with brilliant four-pointer attack and reduced the lead but Rivera went into the break with a 8-6 lead.
The Indian eventually cut the lead and was trailing 8-9 heading into the last minute of the second period and then pulled off a two-point takedown and a point in the final 20 seconds to turn the tables and win the bout 11-9.
While, a three-time CWG gold-medallist,Vinesh, has defeated reigning European champion Emma Malmgren of Sweden 8-0 in the bronze medal bout to clinch her second world championships medal.
