Wrestler Bajrang Punia gears up for Tokyo Olympics

Working on 'shortcomings', says ace wrestler Bajrang Punia

Ace wrestler Bajrang Punia, on Monday, said he was working on his 'shortcoming', especially leg defence while the focus was on the Olympics scheduled in Tokyo later this year.

"I used to give away points due to (poor) leg defence. I will play two to three tournaments to prepare for the Olympics. I am working on both attack and defence. Olympics 2020 is our focus, so I am working on all the areas," he told reporters in Bengaluru.

Punia, who lost to Japan's Takuto Otoguro in the final of the Asian Wrestling Championship in New Delhi recently spoke on the sidelines of a function to mark the association of Herbalife as the sports nutrition partner of Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS).

The 26-year old wrestler said he could not perform 100 per cent in the finals of the Asian meet, adding he had identified the shortcomings.

He said ever since he started working on the weaknesses, there was quite an improvement.

"There is quite an improvement in the leg defence. He (Otoguro) countered all my attacks in the final. Now I have to focus on Olympic to avoid the mistakes I had committed earlier," Punia added.

The wrestler said he has already cleared a major milestone-the Olympics qualifier round and now his focus was on the Tokyo Games.

Speaking about the 65 kg category in which he competes, Punia said there were at least 12 to 13 wrestlers, all of whom are capable of winning on a given day.