Indian star Bajrang Punia on Saturday touched a new high in his career by achieving the number one rank in the world in the 65kg category.
The 24-year-old Bajrang, who has won five medals this season, including CWG and Asian Games gold and a silver at the World Championship, was placed atop the ranking table with 96 points in the UWW list.
ALSO READ: IPL 2019 might happen early to keep Indians fresh for World Cup
“Every athlete nurtures the dream to be world number one in his career. But If I had become number one with a World Championship gold, it would have been better,” Bajrang told PTI.
But I am working hard and will try to retain this world number rank with a World Championship gold next year,” he added.
ALSO READ: Sindhu, Srikanth bow out of China Open
Bajrang is comfortably leading the table and Cuban Alejandro Enrique Vlades Tobier is a distant second with 66 points. Bajrang had won a close semifinal against Tobier in the Budapest Worlds.
Bajrang is the lone male Indian to figure in top-10 but the country has five female wrestlers who are in a top-10 bracket in their respective categories.
Click here for Latest News updates and viral videos on our AI-powered smart news genie