'Asian C'ship gold medal an incentive to achieve more'

Bajrang Punia has come of age having finally won a gold medal at a major international event and the wrestler is eager to keep the juggernaut rolling at the World Wrestling Championship later this year. Coming back from a long injury lay-off, Bajrang became the lone Indian wrestler to bag a yellow metal at the recently-concluded Asian Wrestling Championship in the Capital and put an end to the gold drought in his career.

"I am an Asian champion now. A gold is a gold and it cannot be compared to any other medal that I had won earlier. Gold has its own shine. It's a big thing. Becoming a champion really matters and I would like to win medals at bigger international competitions," Bajrang said. With his eyes firmly trained on the World Championship in Paris in August, Bajrang said his recent feat has put him in contention for a medal at the world level."Asia has the likes of Iran and Japan, whose wrestlers are among the best in the world.

After becoming an Asian champion, I have got the confidence of doing well at the world level as well," Bajrang said.