Bajrang Punia happy to have won CWG 2022 gold playing his ‘natural, attacking game’ | Commonwealth Games 2022 News

NEW DELHI: ‘Harm, ‘restoration’, ‘gold medal’. These three phrases had been heard usually when the ground was opened for inquiries to Bajrang Punia. A day earlier, Bajrang efficiently defended his 2018 Commonwealth Video games (CWG) wrestling gold.
He appeared visibly drained. “Abhi so ke utha hu,” he replied to a query if he celebrated. It was nearly like listening to somebody ending a routine work shift and catching up on some well-deserved sleep.
Bajrang conceded simply two factors on the best way to his second Commonwealth Video games within the 65kg weight class. But when somebody talked about the phrase ‘simple’ to him, his reply was fairly easy. “No one involves the Commonwealth Video games to lose.”

(AFP Picture)
The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist made a really attention-grabbing comparability between his two CWG gold medals. “In 2018 I didn’t have an Olympic medal, however I got here right here having received an Olympic medal.”
It means that, perhaps someplace down the road, fame was at stake. And the Indian grapplers fought like that on the opening day of the wrestling occasion in Birmingham, with all six successful medals, together with three golds received by Bajrang, Deepak Punia and Sakshi Malik.
Excerpts from a press convention TimesofIndia.com was invited to:
Your first response..
It feels good to repeat 2018. The weaknesses after the Olympics that had been there, I’ve improved on that.

Is the aggressive wrestler Bajrang lastly again?
I’ve all the time performed aggressive. Individuals mentioned, “Olympics ke baad wo Bajrang dikhayi nahi deta (we’ve not seen the identical Bajrang after the Olympics). I used to be engaged on that, as a participant loses essential floor due to damage. The two-3 months of coaching after recovering from leg accidents has helped me enhance. I understand how attacking I performed or how secure I performed and can work on no matter deficiencies are left in my recreation.

Was there stress?
There was no stress. I simply wished to emulate my coaching within the competitors. I’ve now performed lots of tournaments. I do not take stress that these are massive Video games or a championship. I simply give attention to giving my greatest.
How is that this CWG gold completely different from the one you received in 2018 within the Gold Coast?
In 2018, after I received gold, I did not have an Olympic medal. This (in Birmingham) was new. I received an Olympic medal (in Tokyo), then fought by way of damage. So each have their very own significance. And retaining the World Championships in thoughts, we knew we needed to carry out properly.

What would you say to those that really feel that competitors is comparatively simple at CWG?
If someone says that the fights had been simple, I will not agree with that. In wrestling, we have now to combat with the opponent’s energy. No one involves lose, however solely to win, no matter medal it could be. We do not know concerning the opponent beforehand, how he’ll combat or how properly ready he’s. All that’s selected that mat.

What subsequent from right here?
In September there’s the World Championships, then there’s the Paris Olympics in 2024. However I’m centered on the World Championships in the intervening time, although the massive goal is the Olympics. Like it’s worthwhile to take the steps to go to the terrace, we have now to take one match at a time. And what I could not do in Tokyo (successful gold), I wish to do in Paris.

Are you personally joyful together with your efficiency?
There are lots of variations from earlier. I performed attacking, performed my pure wrestling fashion and succeeded. So I’ll attempt to enter the World Championships with the identical type and win a medal there as properly.