CHENNAI: The previous year ended on a good note for Bajrang Punia — touted as the heir apparent to Yogeshwar Dutt, who is in the twilight of his wrestling career. Bajrang won silver in the U-23 World Championship — his second World medal after the 2013 Senior World Championship bronze. Though the World Championship five summers ago catapulted him to fame, till 2016 Rio Olympics, Bajrang was contended playing second fiddle to Dutt, his mentor and guru.
As an act of reverence to his mentor, Bajrang mostly shied away from competing in the 65kg, which was also Dutt’s fief. With Dutt, 35, busy with his own akhada and staring at an imminent retirement, Bajrang is back in the spotlight. With three major events to be held this year — the Asian Championship, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games — Bajrang is readying himself to step into his mentor’s shoes. “Not an easy job,” acknowledged the 23-year-old.
“Yogi bhai (Yogeshwar) was one of the best in the world. Now, he has moved aside for me and it’s my responsibility to do well in 65kg,” he asserted.
Before the Rio Olympics, when the other grapplers were breaking their backs to earn an Olympic ticket, the thought of participating in that Olympics didn’t even cross Bajrang’s mind. He was happily looking after Dutt’s preparations. “I was not focussing on Rio because Yogi bhai was preparing for that. As it was going to be his last Olympic outing, the only thing I wanted was a medal for him,” Bajrang revealed.
It seems Dutt has reciprocated equally as he is currently overseeing Bajrang’s training and even arranged sparring partners for the youngster when the fellow national campers refused to train with him prior to the selection trials for the Asian Championship. “We had to bring in boys from our akhada to spar with me. The campers, I don’t know why they were not ready to hit the mat with me. Yogi bhai used to bring the wrestlers from our akhada to Sonepat centre where the camp was on so that training didn’t get affected,” Bajrang said.
Apart from sparring partners, Dutt also employed Russian and English teachers. “That was done so that we could understand what the rival coaches and wrestlers are planning during the bout. Most of the prominent wrestlers are from Russian belt, so learning Russian comes handy,” Bajrang said. Bajrang said 2020 Olympics will top his priority list and credited PWL for helping him pick up finer aspects of the sport. “The ongoing Pro Wrestling League is one of the venues to get to know the world champions. Watching them, I can learn what are the areas I am lacking,” Bajrang, who is part of UP Dangal, said.
shan.as@newindianexpress.com