Bajrang Punia becomes world number one in 65kg

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.

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“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.

 

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बेटा Bajrang Punia आपको वर्ल्ड नंबर 1 बनने पर बहुत बहुत बधाई हो। बहुत गर्व हो रहा है आप को इस ऊंचाई पर देखकर। आप इसी तरह खेलते रहो, देश का मान सम्मान बढ़ाते रहो और तिरंगा ऊंचा करते रहो, शाबाश। जय हिन्द, जय भारत।

A post shared by Yogi Dutt (@yogeshwardutt) on Nov 10, 2018 at 1:26am PST

 But I am working hard and will try to retain this world number rank with a World Championship gold next year,” he added.

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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.

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