Bajrang’s Asian Championship silver medal raises some red flags
A lack of cohesion among stakeholders and poor rehab management have an impact on a star wrestler’s preparation for a big year.
Bajrang Punia settled for silver, but there’s not much silver in his Asian Championship medal.
The Bajrang’s Asian Championship consolation was that the bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics made it to the final in his 1st international competition since the Games last year After that. However, the gold medal match against Iran’s junior world champion Rahmad Mousa Amouzadkhalili should be cautious.
If the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics was a display of sheer bravado, with Bajrang flinging aside his knee, strapping also going all out, risking his injured knee. Saturday’s Asian Championship final was the polar opposite. It was conservative, cagey, and lack the ferocity that the Indian star is known for.
In that sense, Bajrang’s performance was similar to last month’s continental championship selection trials. Where he was far from convincing in his narrow victory over Rohit Singh in the final.
It can be attribute in part to rustiness. After all, Bajrang has rarely been away from the mat for so long.
However, it can largely be attribute to the mismanagement of everyone involved in the wrestler’s management.
Bajrang has spent the eight months between his two international tournaments primarily trying to recover from knee injuries. First, he injured his right knee last year during a game in Russia just before the Olympics. Then, in January, while still recovering, he injured his left knee because, according to him. All of the pressure was apply to one leg. However, following the selection trials last month. He claimed he was undergoing rehabilitation without a full-time physiotherapist to monitor his progress.
The consequences of these decisions and delays were visible on Saturday. Throughout his fight against Amouzadkhalili, Bajrang appeared hesitant to go all out in attack, perhaps still unsure about his knee’s recovery. At times, he seemed to be lacking in strategy as the Iranian’s underhooks and leg-holds undid him. As a result, the favorite to win gold in a relatively weaker fiel, Bajrang was defeate 3-1.
The Indian’s task will only become more difficult in the coming tournaments, notably the Asian Games. Where his nemesis Takuto Otoguro of Japan is expecte to compete. By then, Bajrang, who start at the trials last month that he was 90 percent fit, will be hoping to recover fully and have a proper support system in place, as he did previously.
