Bajrang Punia came close but eventually settled as the second best after he won the silver medal at the World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest, Hungary.
Nonetheless, history would remember him as the first Indian wrestler to bag two medals in the history of the competition as he outdid his performance from the 2013 edition where he had won the bronze medal.
Sushil Kumar is the only Indian to have won the gold medal in the competition in it’s 2010 edition.
He went down to Japan’s Takuto Otoguro in the men’s freestyle 65kg division final to end with the silver metal.
Despite putting in his best effort, the defence of Otoguro was something that Bajrang couldn’t counter as he lost the final 16-9. Otoguro was guilty of delaying the proceedings but he was the better wrestler on the night.
Bajrang also created a record–which no one from India has achieved so far–winning three medals in the three major events in a calendar year.
He had earlier tasted success at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast and at the Asian Games earlier this year.
“It was so near and yet so far,” Punia said, as quoted by The Times of India after the final.
“Having reached the final, I expected to win gold but I will have to be satisfied with a silver medal. I am happy to have bettered my bronze medal effort, achieved five years ago at the same venue,” he added further.
Image credit- DNA India