Asian champion Bajrang Punia will represent India in the men’s 65kg category at the upcoming World Wrestling Championships after beating Rahul Mann in a selection trial in Paris on Saturday, reported PTI. Punia thrashed Mann 10-0 to make it to the final list of players for the World Championships beginning on August 21 in Paris.
Mann emerged as the winner during the selection trails held in Sonepat last month, but Punia submitted an application to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), citing his inability to take part in the trials due to fever. Punia requested that the final trials be held after his recovery.
Mann then suffered from a minor neck injury and the final trial could not be held.
However, on the request of the chief coach Jagminder Singh, the WFI got the government’s approval for both Bajrang and Mann to travel to France and the final trial be held in Paris before the tournament.
The Freestyle squad: Sandeep Tomar (57kg), Harphool (61kg), Bajrang Punia (65kg), Amit Dhankar (70kg), Praveen Rana (74kg), Deepak (86kg), Satywart Kadiyan (97kg), Sumit (125kg).