Budapest: Bajrang Punia’s bid to become only the second Indian to win a gold medal at the World Championship fell flat as a tactically superior Takuto Otoguro stunned the Indian in the 65kg final, here Monday night.
Only the fourth Indian ever to make it to the World Championship gold medal match, 24-year-old Bajrang was rattled by the 19-year old Otoguro, who consistently attacked the left leg of Indian and emerged a comfortable 16-9 winner. In the process, Otoguru became Japan’s youngest World Champion.
“It was so near and yet so far. 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,” said Bajrang, who is now only Indian with two medals from the World Championship.
A four-point throw gave Otoguro an early 5-0 lead, leaving Bajrang to play just a catch-up game. With back-to-back take downs, the Indian reduced the deficit to 4-5. The Japanese got more points with a step out and led 7-6 at the break.
An early take down at the start of second period handed Otoguro a 9-6 lead. The Japanese kept attacking Bajrang’s left leg, a strategy which the Indian struggled to counter. However, the Indian had to eventually settle for silver, which is his second medal at the Worlds. He also had won a bronze won on 2013.
Meanwhile, in the men’s free style 70kg category, Praveen Rana won his first bout against Jarvissadam Blesam Tarkong by technical superiority but suffered an indentical defeat against Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov in the pre-quarterfinals.
In the 97kg, Mausam Khatri was knocked out by Venezuela’s Jose Daniel Diaz Robertti 2-12 in the Qualification round. In the women’s event, Sarita won her bouts in the 59kg against Korea’s Bobae Kim (8-1) and Ukraine’s Sofiia Bodnar (4-0) but lost the quarterfinal by technical superiority to Shoovdor Baatarjavrjav.