JAKARTA: There was a touching behind-the-scenes moment after Bajrang Punia’s first round win over Sirojiddin Khasanov in men’s 65kg freestyle category. The 24-year-old, who had been dubbed the ‘next Sushil Kumar’ for emerging from Chhatrasal stable, wanted to seek blessings of the champion wrestler. The 35-year-old, used to competitors touching his feet even during events the last few years, was slightly taken aback but still gave him his best wishes.
Some seven hours later, the baton had truly passed, as Punia blitzed his opponents to win India’s first gold at the Asian Games on Sunday. Thirteen-three against Khasanov, 12-2 versus Fayziev Abdulqosim and 10-0 against Batchuluun Batmagnai took him to the final. Takatani Daichi, one of the myriad fine young wrestlers coming out of Japan, put up a tough fight but the Indian’s class and patience won in the end.
Punia, entering the tournament on a hot streak (three first places at the Commonwealth Games, Tbilisi Grand Prix and Yasar Dogu International), showed he had learned the mental resolve that had deserted him in crucial junctures. Better yet, he has improved as a wrestler, according to national coach Kuldeep Singh. “The main changes in him is he is more of an all-rounder now, a more complete athlete,” Singh said. “He has become much better technically and is built perfectly for his weight category.”
Punia, who was cheered on by chants of ‘Bajrang, Bajrang’ throughout the four bouts thanks to a very vocal crowd, has also realised the importance of modern coaching methods. Gone are the days of going to the akhada, sweating for 10 hours and going back home. The Arjuna awardee, who has a personal coach, Georgia’s Emzarios Bentinidis, is a strong believer in video analysis. Of not his but also of his opponents. That’s how he cracked the Daichi code, a wrestler he struggled against in the past.
“We keep learning new things, we keep a watch on opponents these days,” he said, with a shiny metal disc giving him company. “In victory and defeat we watch videos of opponents.”The influence of Yogeshwar Dutt — who Punia keeps referring to as his mentor — is much chronicled and he said the 2012 Olympic medallist spoke to him before the final. “He told me that ‘I had won it in 2014 and you will have to win it this time’. He asked me to forget all the white noise and concentrate on my wrestling.”
That advice isn’t surprising because a few had questioned whether Punia was actually serious about the sport. He answered those critics in the best way. Later, his tongue was firmly in cheek. “I’m doing my job, people will say what they want. I don’t pay heed to them. I haven’t changed, I’m what I used to be. I will dance when I want to, I won’t dance when people want me to.”
He is well aware of the kind of legacy he can create if he can take this momentum to the World Championships later this year. “Dutt and Rajendra pehelwan are the two wrestlers who have won two medals in one year at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. I am just the third.”
Perhaps, the time has come to stop addressing him as the ‘next Sushil’.
swaroop@newindianexpress.com