Tokyo 2020, wrestling: Bajrang Punia could face Haji Aliyev or Daulet Niyazbekov in semis
Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia begins his campaign against Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan in the round of 16.
Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia will face Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.
Seeded second in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling, Bajrang Punia is making his Olympics debut and is considered a medal favourite for India at Tokyo 2020.
Bajrang Punia is a two-time Asian champion and has won silver at the World Championships.
If he wins his opening bout, Bajrang Punia could either face Asian championships bronze-medallist Morteza Ghiasi of Iran or Tunisia’s Haithem Dakhlaoui - a former African champion in the 70kg.
Bajrang Punia is expected to win both those bouts and his real challenge will come in the semi-finals.
The Indian wrestler could be up against Azerbaijan’s Haji Aliyev - a Rio 2016 bronze-medallist in the 57kg and a three-time world champion in the 61kg.
Another potential opponent for Bajrang Punia in the semis is Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan, a world championships silver-medallist and 2018 Asian champion.
Meanwhile, another Indian wrestler Seema Bisla will face Tunisia’s Sarra Hamdi in the Round of 16 of the women’s 50kg freestyle on Friday in her maiden Olympics.
If she wins the bout, the Indian wrestler could be up against top seed Mariya Stadnik - a three-time Olympic medallist and 2019 world champion - in the quarter-finals.
The round of 16 through to the semi-finals of the men’s 65kg and women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling will be held on Friday, with the repechage, bronze match and the final scheduled for Saturday.