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World Championship bronze not a ‘victory’ but motivation for upcoming challenges: Bajrang Punia

Along with Punia, Ravi Kumar Dahiya also bagged bronze in the 57-kg category after beating Iran’s reigning Asian champion Reza Atri 6-3 to win his maiden Worlds medal.

World Championship bronze not a ‘victory’ but motivation for upcoming challenges: Bajrang Punia

Bajrang Punia. (Photo: Twitter/@sushilpgoenka)

After winning the bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, India grappler Bajrang Punia has insisted that he will not consider the medal as “victory”, but will use it as a motivation to perform better in the future.

“Sometimes defeat teaches you something which even a victory cannot. I will not consider this bronze medal as a victory for myself but will use it as an inspiration to face upcoming challenges. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat,” Punia tweeted in Hindi on Saturday.

See the tweet:

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In Nur-Sultan on Friday, 25-year-old Bajrang held off a spirited challenge from Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia, who had raced to a 6-0 lead but the Indian ruled the second period with a flurry of moves to defeat the Mongolian 8-7.

This was Punia’s second consecutive senior Worlds medal and third overall.

Along with Punia, Ravi Kumar Dahiya also bagged bronze in the 57-kg category after beating Iran’s reigning Asian champion Reza Atri 6-3 to win his maiden Worlds medal.

It is to note that both Punia and Dahiya had already sealed a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by qualifying for the bronze medal round of World Championships.

India clinched a total of three medals at the event as Vinesh Phogat had also won a bronze in women’s 53-kg event. The last time India won three medals at the Worlds was in 2013 when Amit Dahiya, Bajrang and Sandeep Tulsi Yadav stood on the podium.

(With agency inputs)

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