Bajrang Punia to part ways with wrestling coach Shako Bentinidis after three years
Since 2018, Georgian coach Shako Bentinidis has guided Bajrang Punia to several career highs, including world championships medals and a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia has decided to end his three-year-long association with personal wrestling coach Emzarios Shako Bentinidis, reports the Times of India.
Bajrang Punia’s decision to part ways with his Georgian coach comes on the back of a Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) suggestion to work with a new foreign coach keeping Paris 2024 in mind.
The WFI is in advanced talks with a Ukrainian coach to replace Shako Bentinidis.
The report also adds that the federation has suggested a new coach for Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who was training under Russian coach Kamal Malikov.
Bajrang Punia and Shako Bentinidis’ separation brings to an end a very fruitful partnership in Indian wrestling.
Shako Bentinidis, a three-time Olympian, started working with Bajrang Punia in 2018 and played a pivotal part in the Indian wrestler winning medals at the world and Asian championships.
The duo’s last major international tournament together was at Tokyo 2020, where Bajrang Punia won bronze in the men’s 65kg freestyle category.
Over the years, the two had also become close with Bentinidis often suggesting his relationship with Bajrang Punia was like ‘father and son’.
The WFI’s decision to appoint new foreign coaches was reportedly taken considering the very busy international calendar next year, which will feature the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and the world wrestling championships.
Bajrang Punia, recovering from a ligament injury, has been out of competitive action since the Tokyo Olympics. The Indian wrestler has returned to training but is unlikely to compete till next year.