Tokyo 2020 Olympics: No 2 seed Bajrang Punia defeats Ernaaz Akmataliev to proceed to quarter-finals

India's freestyle wrestler Bajrang Punia won against Ernaaz Akmataliev in the 65kg freestyle wrestling event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The World No. 2 India has now progressed to the quarter-finals at Makuhari Messe Hall A.

The score was 0-0 at the start of the first bout but the Kyrgyzstani wrestler was given a passivity charge but he could not, and that was 1-0 for Bajrang.

Ernaaz however, pushed Bajrang out of bounds and made it 1-1. Right at the dying seconds of round 1, Bajrang took Ernaaz down superbly and lead 3-1.

The second round saw Ernaaz charge at Punia and push him out of the mat twice to make the score 3-3 with 7.9 seconds left. However, Bajrang still won because of his two-point move.

Bajrang Punia will take on Iran's Mortaza Ghiasi Cheka in the quarter-final.

Earlier today Indian wrestler Seema Bisla lost to Tunisia's Sarra Hamdi in the Women's Freestyle 50kg, 1/8 Final, on Friday. Tunisia's Sarra Hamdi edged Seema 3-1 to cruise into the quarter-finals. 

Earlier on Thursday, Ravi Dahiya settled for silver after going down against the Russian Olympic Committee`s (ROC) Zavur Uguev in the men's 57 kg freestyle category at the Tokyo Olympics.

More to follow...