Bajrang Punia’s coach asks Indian media to not put pressure on wrestler

After Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia went down to former world champion Takuto Otoguro of Japan in the freestyle finals of the 65 kg weight category at the Asian Championships in New Delhi, his coach Shako Bentinidis urged the Indian media to not put unnecessary pressure on his ward.

“We must stay relaxed, and not so (shout) much ‘Bajrang, Bajrang.’ Sometimes it is possible for him to lose, but not at the Olympics. I think this is no problem. Better to lose now before the Olympics. I am happy with the silver medal.”

Punia, who had gone down to Otoguro in the finals of the World Championships 16-9 in 2018, was hopeful of coming out on top at his home ground but the Japanese used a low single attack to race away to a 10-2 win. After a disappointing fifth-place finish in last year’s World Championships in Nur Sultan, the win here would have given Otoguro plenty of confidence as he heads into the Tokyo Olympics.

Bajrang Punia and his coach Shako Bentinidis

“Last year, I feel like I was only losing and I went through various experiences,” Otoguro said. “From now, this is an Olympic year, and I feel I’ve gained some momentum. But I still have room to improve. How strong I can get from here, I’m also looking forward to finding out.”

Punia, the defending champion and a bronze medal winner in the World Championships in 2019, had no answer for his rival’s counters and attacks, as Otoguro raced away to seven unanswered points in the second period. He went for the low single by looking to attack Punia’s shoe, a ploy that paid rich dividends.

The Indian grappler, touted as India’s biggest hope in the upcoming Summer Games, will be eager to rectify his performance in the knockout games before the competition gets underway. Though he clinched two gold medals each in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games in 2018, he often lets pressure get to him on the world stage, which is something that Punia will be looking to manage in Tokyo.