Deepak Punia got here near profitable a medal on his maiden Olympics look. In a heartbreaking method, the younger wrestler from Haryana missed out on a podium end after dropping a fiercely-contested bout to Miles Amine of San Marino within the males’s 86kg wrestling class.
Deepak had gone to Tokyo with loads of goals. Winning an Olympic medal was his late mom’s dream as properly however the teenager, who is among the highly-rated up-and-coming wrestlers within the nation, felt agonisingly wanting ending on the rostrum within the Japanese capital.
Minutes after that valiant bronze medal bout in Tokyo, Deepak Punia obtained a social media message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Deepak Punia lost the Bronze narrowly but he has won our hearts. He is a powerhouse of grit and talent. My best wishes to Deepak for his future endeavours,” PM Modi had tweeted.
Cut to August 5, 2022, Deepak Punia received a gold medal in his maiden Commonwealth Games look. The Indian wrestler dethroned Pakistan’s Muhammad Inam, a two-time champion, within the large last, flaunting his defensive means and composure on the highest stage.
Missing the Tokyo Olympics medal nonetheless pinches Deepak Punia, however the teenager believes the CWG medal is a wonderful begin to his journey of realising the Olympics dream in Paris in 2024.
Speaking to India Today from Birmingham, Deepak Punia recalled his interplay with PM Modi after the Tokyo Olympics and mentioned his phrases of encouragement motivated him and helped him overcome the heartbreak from final 12 months.
“I want to thank my countrymen, I want to thank PM Modi. After I lost the medal at the Tokyo Olympics, PM Modi called me and motivated me. He said ‘Don’t worry, my boy. You will be able to do better in the future,” Deepak Punia mentioned.
“I was not able to fulfill that (winning the Tokyo medal). But I have been able to now achieve my first target by winning the gold in the Commonwealth Games. My ultimate target is the Paris Games. Asian Games next and then Paris,” he added.
INDIA VS PAKISTAN FINAL
Deepak was up in opposition to Pakistan’s Inam, who had received gold in wrestling on the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 and Gold Coast in 2018. However, the younger Indian mentioned he was not targeted on his opponent’s popularity and that he stepped onto the mat within the last with a single-minded give attention to profitable gold medal.
“The challenge was very special. It was an India vs Pakistan bout. He (Muhammad Inam) was a senior campaigner. But I didn’t take any extra pressure. I wanted to focus on my goal and achieve it. It turned out that way.
“It feels very good to win a Gold medal for the country,” Deepak mentioned.
Deepak was certainly one of India’s 6 medalists on the opening day of the competitors. The 23-year-old joined Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia as one of many three Gold medalists for India on August 5.
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