Deepak Punia ranked world’s best wrestler in 86 kg category

Wrestling Ranking: Deepak Punia has been ranked world number one in 86 kg category in the latest rankings issued by the International Wrestling Federation. Bajrang Punia, on the other hand, lost his top rank in the 65kg category.

Deepak Punia recently won silver in the World Wrestling Championship, after he pulled out of the final bout due to an ankle injury. Punia is the current junior world champion and this was his first senior World Championship. He became the only fifth Indian to reach the finals at the senior World Championships.

Deepak Punia is also one of the four Indian wrestlers to have secured their place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. He currently has 82 points, four more than the previously top-ranked wrestler, Hasan Yazdani from Iran.

However, Bajrang Punia, who entered the Wrestling World Championship with the top rank, dropped to the second spot after losing his semi-final bout and settling for bronze. He currently has 63 points and Russia’s Gadzhimurad Rashidov, who won gold in Nur Sultan, is the new world number one in 65kg category.

In other categories, Ravi Dahiya entered the top 5 ranking list in the 57 kg category, while Rahul Aware was pushed to the second rank with his bronze in the World Championship.

In women’s rankings, Vinesh Phogat, who also won bronze in the World Championship, gained four places to be ranked second in the 53 kg category. Seema Bisla dropped to rank 3 in the 50kg category, while Pooja Dhanda is ranked five in 59kg category. Manju Kumari is world no.3 in the 40kg category.

Background

Currently, four Indian wrestlers have qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in their respective weight categories. The wrestlers include Deepak Punia, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.

(14)