In what comes as massive news for Deepak Punia in the latest rankings, he has switched gears to jump to the No.1 in the 86kg category but Bajrang Punia lost his top position in the 65kg category once the rankings were announced.
Deepak Punia tried his best and settled for silver in his first-ever Championship but unfortunately, his ankle injury meant he had to pull out of the final round.
However, he is now on top of the world.
He has been consistent this year. He won a silver medal in Yasar Dogu tournament and bagged 2 bronze medals at Asian Championship and Sassari respectively.
Deepak Punia also became India’s country’s first junior World Champion in 18 years after he settled for gold at the junior worlds. Yes, Deepak Punia is Junior World Champion now!
Punia was looking good from the word go and dominated Russia’s Alik Shebzukov to win the 86kg junior freestyle title. Deepak Punia had earlier won a silver medal for India in the same category in 2018 and now that he won gold just goes to show how had gone from strength to strength.
The proud moment is that Deepak is the first Indian athlete in 18 years to win a Junior World Championship title. He clinched the Cadet world championship in the year 2016 and narrowly missed out on settling for bronze in the junior worlds in 2017. However, in 2018 he showcased his mettle only to win a silver medal in Slovakia.
Meanwhile, Bajrang Punia has lost his top spot to Gadzhimurad Rashidov.
Ravi Dahiya also entered the top five spot in 57 kg category. Rahul Aware is now the world No.2 two in the same category.
As far as Vinesh Phogat is concerned, she jumped to No.2 in the 53kg category.
Meanwhile, Seema Bisla slipped to 3rd in 50kg and Pooja Dhanda took 5th spot in the 59kg category.
Vinesh Phogat won her second consecutive gold medal in 53kg, clinching the Yasar Dogu International by outsmarting Ekaterina Poleshchuk in all aspects of the game.
Vinesh who had just won last week at the Grand Prix of Spain once again brought the best out of herself in the tournament as she got the better of the Russian opponent 9-5 in the final stage.
During the course of a gold medal bout, Vinesh clinched two of her three bouts by Technical Superiority.
The Youth salutes Deepak Punia and Vinesh Phogat for giving absolutely everything for the nation.
With Inputs From PTI.
