Sports Bureau
Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia moved a step closer to claiming his fourth medal on the concluding day of the World wrestling championships in Belgrade on Sunday.
Three-time Worlds medallist Bajrang, who picked up a head injury in the pre-quarterfinal bout and lost in the last eight to American John Diakomihalis before getting back to medal contention on Saturday, rallied from 0-4 down to register a hard-fought 7-6 victory over Individual World Cup winner and World under-23 silver medallist Vazgen Tevanyan of Armenia in the repechage round.
Fighting with bandage around his head, Bajrang, who last won a medal in the World championships in 2019, narrowed the gap to 4-1 by employing a push-out in the first period.
The top Indian wrestler executed a takedown and followed it up by rolling Tevanyan over to establish a 7-4 lead in the second period.
The 28-year-old conceded two more points in the dying moments but still managed to secure a narrow win and set up a bronze medal contest with Pan-American silver medallist Sebastian Eivera of Puerto Rico.
So far, India has secured only a bronze medal through Vinesh Phogat in this edition of the World championships.
