TIL Desk Sports/ His dominance is undisputed in the 65kg at the global level but Bajrang Punia, focussed on shoring up his leg defence, would not ask for an exemption from the World Championship trials next month. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is expected to organise the trials for the Worlds in the last week of July.
In the last 10 international tournaments, Bajrang has lost just one bout — the World Championship final (2018) — where Japan’s Takuto Otoguro bothered him with leg attacks throughout. The only other bout (invitational) Bajrang lost was at the iconic Madison Square, to the local grappler Yianni Diakomihalis.
The
world number one in 65kg, Bajrang is aiming to seal an Olympic berth with a
medal at the World Championship, scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan in
September. Asked how he has not been able to master the leg defence as yet, the
25-year-old said it’s due to ‘old habits.’