Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik clinch gold in wrestling

Star Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik on Friday clinched gold in wrestling in Commonwealth Games 2022. Sakshi Malik defeated Ana Paula Godinez Gonzalez in the finals of women’s freestyle 62 kg category while Bajrang Punia clinched gold medal in men’s 65 kg by defeating Canada’s Lachlan Mcneil.

The Canadian Gonzalez was dominating the match initially as she gained a 0-4 lead in the first period against Sakshi. Then in the second period, Sakshi scripted an entire comeback to equal the scores 4-4 and won the match via fall. The match lasted for 3 minutes and 47 seconds.

On the other hand, Punia was extremely dominant in the first period and did not let his opponent score. He finished with a 4-0 lead over McNeil at the end of the first period. But McNeil made a comeback with a strong effort and he cut down the deficit by two points to make it 2-4.

Punia took the lead once again after scoring two more points. The Indian did not look back from there and won the match 9-2.

Punia reached the final after defeating George Ramm of England in the semi-final. He defeated his English opponent 10-0.

He had reached the semi-final of the men’s freestyle 65 kg category after defeating Jean Guyliane Joris Bandou of Mauritius in the quarter-final. Bajrang was at his very best in the match as he gained a 6-0 win by fall. The match lasted for just one minute.Commonwealth Games started from July 28 in Birmingham and will go on till 8 August.