Asian Games | Bajrang Punia hopes to repeat CWG performance in Indonesia
Bajrang Punia, who won gold at this year’s 2018 Gold Coast CWG, has revealed that he hopes to repeat the same performance in the Asian Games in Jakarta later this month. Punia added that his ultimate aim is to win an Olympic gold and has set himself a target of doing so at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Indian freestyle wrestler Bajrang Punia is riding a high wave at the moment as he had already bagged his third consecutive gold medal this year at the recently concluded Yasar Dogu International Tourney in Turkey. Punia, who has emerged as one of India’s leading wrestlers in recent years, has often made public his gratitude towards fellow wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, whom the former regards as his role model and idol.
The young lad from the village of Jhajjar in Haryana has been touted as India’s best shot for a gold medal in the upcoming Asian Games in Jakarta later this month and rightly so. Punia, at a recent Tata press meet in Mumbai, revealed that he hoped to replicate the same performance in the Asian Games that won him a CWG gold earlier this year in Australia.
"It’s not about pressure as long as I'm free of injuries in the build-up to the competition, I would say. I had a fight on the 19th of last month as well. I will try to repeat the same performance that I gave a this year's CWG where I won gold at the upcoming Asian Games as well.
"Any win at a good international tournament motivates us and even makes us look good in front of our competitors. It helps us get some well-needed experience on the global stage and also boosts our confidence. At the two world ranking tournaments, I also won gold in the 65 and 70 kg categories. A rise in form also results in a rise in people’s expectations from me but at the end of the day all I ask is that my fans keep supporting me and I will always give my best on the mat," Bajrang told SportsCafe.
Bajrang, who beat Kane Charig of Wales in the men’s 65 kg freestyle category at Gold Coast CWG, revealed that he did not pay too much heed to who his competitors will be in Indonesia. He’d rather focus more on his own preparation in the build-up to the tournament and giving his best on the mat.
"I don't look at any single competitor as such. Whenever I fight, I always look to give my best regardless of who my opponent is. Even I have reached my position by beating someone who was good, so I don’t give too much importance to who the opponent is or which country he is from, I focus on giving my best for my country," he added.
When quizzed on what targets he had set himself before he could retire, the 24-year old replied, "The ultimate goal is to win an Olympic medal and I have set myself a target to win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Since we haven't won gold as of yet in wrestling, I would like to win that for India in 2020. After I have achieved that, I will think about what lies ahead in my career."
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