I Apologise To The Nation For Not Meeting Expectations. I'll Get You The Gold In 2024: Bajrang Punia

Wrestler Bajrang Punia went into the Tokyo Olympics as one of the leading medal contenders for India. Given his rank and form, he was expected to win the gold.

- Abhimanyu Mathur

In the end, he won the bronze medal in his first appearance at the Games. Far from being elated, Bajrang is actually disappointed and apologetic. Speaking from Tokyo, the wrestler says, “I feel annoyed and upset that I could not meet the expectations of the nation. I would like to apologise to everyone for that.”

Bajrang played in Tokyo with a knee brace, hampered by a knee injury he suffered just weeks before the Olympics. Doctors had initially advised him rest but Bajrang wrestled through the pain. “The doctors didn’t want it to worsen. They wanted me to return to India from Europe and then go to Tokyo. But due to the quarantine situation, that would have been tough. So, I told the doctors that injuryhai toh hai. Medal is more important. I decided to manage this injury and fight through it,” he says.