New Delhi: India’s top wrestler Bajrang Punia said Tuesday while attending a felicitation programme that not even an Olympic medal will heal the pain of his controversial semifinal loss at the just-concluded World Championships.
The 25-year-old Bajrangt Punia finished with the bronze medal after he lost to local favourite Daulet Niyazbekov in the 65kg semifinal following some debatable decisions by the judges in Kazakhstan.
“It is very demoralising when you lose due to bias or someone wins by cheating because I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t lose out the gold because of my mistakes,” Bajrang Punia stated.
“I know I have to forget this pain. I have to put this aside to do well in the future tournaments but it is difficult to get over it. World Championship and Olympics are different tournaments. I am preparing for the Olympics and I had put a lot of effort for World Championships also, so I don’t think I can forget missing out on the gold. Whenever something similar will happen, I will remember this incident,” added the wrestler.
Bajrang, who has claimed gold medals at 2018 Asian Games, 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2017 Asian Championship, said it wasn’t the first time he had to face bias.
“I have been at the receiving end of such discrimination in all the three World Championships. Last year also it happened in the final,” informed Bajrang.
Asked if he is satisfied with his performance at the World Championships, Bajrang said: “I am just happy that I could win a third medal for my country at the tournament. But it wasn’t my best. If I had won gold, then it could have been better.”
Deepak Punia also claimed his maiden silver at the World Championships in the 86kg. However, he lamented that he pulled out of the final due to an ankle injury.
“I had suffered this injury in the first round itself but I kept competing and so it got aggravated. If I would have played in the finals, I might have needed a surgery so we decided to skip it,” said Deepak Punia. “The physio said it will take another 15-20 days to recover completely.”
Deepak also said that the World Championships have made him realize, how tough it is at the senior level.
“I have to work on my technique now. I lacked experience as it was my first World Championships, so as I grow in confidence it will help.” said Deepak Punia.
PTI