Indian ace wrestler Bajrang Punia has shared that he is eager to feature in the Asian Games which is postponed to next year and also in the World Wrestling Championship even if there is a break of at least one month.
Recently in an interaction with the media which was facilitated by the Sports Authority of India, Bajrang Punia shared his eagerness to return with a bang and be the best version of himself, something that his fans saw back in 2018-19.
“The players who train there come in the world’s top 10. They train there but represent different countries. I went before the Tokyo Olympics also and I’m returning there with more focus and determination to spar with the best. I want to get back to being the Bajrang you saw in 2018-2019, “ said the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist who is desperate to win more accolades for India.
The Asian Games which was supposed to happen this year in China were postponed due to rising COVID-19 cases in their country. However the new dates for the event have not been revealed by the organizers. In the meanwhile the World Championships will be held in Russia next year and they will be an Olympic qualifying event so Bajrang wants to focus more on that as his primary goal remains the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“The 2023 is an important year. The focus is on qualifying for the Paris Games through the World Championships. We don’t know as yet what is going to be the gap between Asian Games and the Worlds,” Punia added.
Bajrang Punia with the all the talent at his disposal has struggled with persistent injury problems. He faced some issues during and after the Tokyo Olympics aswell. But the good news is Bajrang currently feels no pain and is in perfect condition raring to win bouts for his country.
However the star wrestler will be flying to the United States of America for his training. While people are questioning the facilities and infrastructure here in India, Bajrang shares how everything has improved in India as well starting from physios, coaches to training equipment. He cleared the air about his travel abroad as he shared that he is mostly traveling to the USA to spar with world class wrestlers and get ready for the big stages. He also adds how he wants to stay from distraction and focus completely on his skillset.
“The infrastructure in India is world-class and has evolved over the years. We get everything from physios to trainers to multiple equipments. I am going to the US to spar with world-class partners there. Also, before any big tournament, no athlete wants distractions. Here, I keep on getting invitations for birthdays, marriages and so on,” Bajrang concluded.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ TOPS scheme will back Bajrang Punia’s travel to Michigan where he will have a month-long training camp as they will also cover the expenses of his personal trainer and physiotherapist.
