Nagoya, October 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s Deepak Punia won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg wrestling category at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the medal bout in Nagoya on Saturday. The victory earned Punia his second Asian Games medal, adding to the silver he won in the men’s 86kg category in 2023.
Punia secured two points in the opening period and defended his lead in a closely contested bout. Although Ganbaatar managed to score once in the second period, the Indian wrestler held on to his advantage to finish on the podium.
Punia began his campaign with a commanding 12-2 victory over China’s Zhou Junpeng. He then advanced to the semifinals without wrestling his quarterfinal bout after Hong Kong’s Li Wui Fung Vincent failed to appear.
In the semifinal, Punia narrowly lost 8-9 to Uzbekistan’s Sherzod Poyonov, which sent him into the bronze-medal contest. He bounced back to defeat Ganbaatar and secure his place among the medallists.
Punia’s bronze is the fifth medal won by an Indian wrestler in the men’s freestyle 97kg category at the Asian Games. Maruti Mane won gold in 1962, while Ganpat Andalkar claimed silver at the same edition. Bishwanath Singh added another silver in 1966, followed by Bhim Singh’s bronze that year.
Punia’s achievement added to a successful day for Indian men’s freestyle wrestling. Earlier, Aman Sehrawat won gold in the 57kg category, defeating reigning world champion Han Chong-song of North Korea 11-7. Sujeet Kalkal also claimed gold in the 65kg category with a 10-9 comeback victory over Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiyev.
Aman’s triumph marked the first time since 1978 that India had won two gold medals in men’s freestyle wrestling at a single Asian Games.
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