Commonwealth Games 2022: Bajrang Punia wins gold in men's 65kg title; defends title

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia, on Friday, defended his men's 65kg title Commonwealth Games title with a 9-2 win over Canada's McNeil in the final.

This is the third medal for Bajrang Punia in Commonwealth Games. Bajrang started with a silver medal in the 61 Kg category at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and he upgraded it to a gold medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the 65 Kg category.

Bajrang has won medals at all the major multi-sporting events with three medals at Commonwealth Games, two medals at Asian Games and one medal at Olympics.

Such was Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang's dominance in the 65kg competition that he won three of his four bouts inside the first rounds. The 28-year-old defending champion beat Naurau's Lowe Bingham and Mauritius' Jean Guyliane Joris Bandou 'by fall' before winning by technical superiority against England's Geroge Ramm.

Canada's Lachlan Maurice McNeil fought well against Bajrang but the Indian was far superior in technique and stamina as he won the bout 9-2. Bajrang has been struggling to play freely since last year and his over-defensive tactics put a question mark over his ability to extend his dominance in the international arena but on Friday he made his moves without inhibition.

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