Bajrang Punia, the national champion wrestler of India, is battling knee problems and will be hoping to make one last splash at the Asian Games by successfully defending his title in the men's freestyle 65kg division.
Bajrang, who is 29 years old, may not appear to be in the best shape because he underwent knee surgery which puts his career under constant threat. After leading the prolonged protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, he missed several months of practice and would be making his first appearance in a competition.
"We want to train for the Asian Games. We trained at Jantar Mantar as and when we got the chance. But getting justice for India's daughters will be a bigger medal for me than the Asiad," he had said.
Bajrang has only recently resumed training after heading to Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan five weeks ago to be ready for the Asiad. He had chosen to focus on the continental championship and skipped the Belgrade Worlds selection trials.
Bajrang will make his third appearance at the Asiad, after taking home gold in Jakarta and a silver in Incheon in 2014. Following his appeal to the sports administration, that he wasn't in peak form after nearly a two-month-long protest at Jantar Mantar, Bajrang was allowed exemption from appearing for the Asiad trials, along with Vinesh Phogat.
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