India’s Deepak Punia won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg wrestling event at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the medal bout on Saturday.
Deepak, who won silver in the 86kg category at the 2023 Asian Games, added a second Asian Games medal with a composed performance in a low-scoring contest.
The Indian wrestler took a 2-0 lead in the opening period and defended it effectively despite conceding a point in the second period to secure the bronze.
Deepak began his campaign with a 12-2 victory over China’s Zhou Junpeng before advancing to the semifinals without taking the mat in the quarterfinals after Hong Kong’s Li Wui Fung Vincent failed to appear for the bout.
In the semifinal, Deepak was edged 9-8 by Uzbekistan’s Sherzod Poyonov in a closely fought contest, sending him into the bronze-medal bout.
He bounced back against Ganbaatar to finish the competition on the podium.
Deepak’s bronze is the fifth medal won by an Indian wrestler in the men’s freestyle 97kg category at the Asian Games. Maruti Mane won gold in the category at the 1962 Games, while Ganpat Andalkar claimed silver in the same edition. Bishwanath Singh won silver in 1966, followed by Bhim Singh’s bronze in the same Games.
The medal capped a strong day for India in men’s freestyle wrestling at the ongoing Games.
Earlier on Saturday, Aman Sehrawat defeated reigning world champion Han Chong-song of North Korea 11-7 to win gold in the men’s 57kg category, becoming the first Indian to claim an Asian Games gold in the division.
Sujeet Kalkal had earlier ended India’s wait for a wrestling gold at the Games by winning the men’s 65kg title with a 10-9 comeback victory over Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiyev.
With Aman and Sujeet winning gold and Deepak securing bronze, India registered three medals in men’s freestyle wrestling in Nagoya.
Aman’s gold also marked the first time since 1978 that India have won two gold medals in men’s freestyle wrestling at a single Asian Games.
(IANS Inputs)
