Bajrang Punia, Vinod Kumar assured of silver at U-23 World Wrestling Championship

Bajrang Punia defeated Iran’s Yones Aliakbar 9-7 in the 65kg semifinals of the U-23 World Wrestling Championship, while Vinod Kumar posted a 2-1 win over a Japanese wrestler to make the gold medal rounds.

Asian champion Bajrang Punia and Vinod Kumar entered the final of their respective weight categories in the men’s freestyle event of the U-23 World Wrestling Championship in Poland.

Bajrang Punia will face Russia’s Kuular in the final of U-23 World Wrestling Championship. (PTI)

Bajrang defeated Iran’s Yones Aliakbar 9-7 in the semifinals of 65kg, while Vinod posted a 2-1 win over a Japanese wrestler in the last-four stage of 70kg to make the gold medal rounds.

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Bajrang earlier got the better of Turkey’s Yavuz 7-5 in quarterfinals after thrashing Azerbaijan’s Ilyasli 5-0.

Bajrang will take on Russian grappler Kuular in the final.

Vinod had beaten Ukrainian Zakariev 5-2 in quarterfinals after blanking Georgia’s Mirza 3-0 in his qualification bout. In the final, Vinod will face USA’s Lewis.