Indian wrestler Deepak Punia won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg wrestling event at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, October 3. Punia defeated Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the medal bout to secure his second Asian Games medal.Key HighlightsDeepak Punia won bronze in the men’s freestyle 97kg category.He defeated Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1.The medal came at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya.Punia added a second Asian Games medal to his record.How did Deepak Punia win the bronze medal?Deepak Punia faced Gankhuyag Ganbaatar of Mongolia in the bronze-medal bout. The match was closely fought, with both wrestlers looking for chances to score.Punia kept his focus and managed to take the required points. He finished the bout with a 2-1 victory.The narrow result showed how close the contest was. Punia stayed calm and protected his lead to secure the bronze medal for India.“Deepak Punia defeated Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 to win the bronze medal in the 97kg freestyle wrestling event.”The victory added another medal to India's wrestling campaign at the Asian Games.What does the medal mean for Deepak Punia?The bronze medal is important for Punia because it is his second Asian Games medal.Punia has represented India at major international wrestling events. He competes in the heavyweight freestyle category and has faced some of the world's top wrestlers during his career.His latest Asian Games medal adds to his record at the continental event. The 97kg category is one of the physically demanding weight classes in freestyle wrestling.Winning a medal requires strength, control and the ability to stay focused during short and intense bouts. Punia delivered when he needed to secure the bronze.Who did Punia defeat?Punia defeated Gankhuyag Ganbaatar, representing Mongolia, in the bronze-medal match.The final score was 2-1 in favour of the Indian wrestler. The close score meant that both athletes had limited room for error.Punia's ability to hold his advantage helped him finish the contest with the bronze medal.For Mongolia, Ganbaatar finished outside the medal positions. For India, Punia secured another medal in wrestling.How important is wrestling for India at the Asian Games?Wrestling has been one of the key sports for India at major multi-sport events. Indian wrestlers compete across several freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's categories.The Asian Games wrestling 2026 competition has again given Indian wrestlers a chance to compete against leading athletes from across Asia.Punia's medal adds to India's medal tally and gives the Indian wrestling team another podium finish.His bronze also comes as India continues its campaign in Nagoya. Several Indian athletes are competing in different sports for medals during the Games.What happened in Punia's medal bout?The contest was tight from the start. Neither wrestler was able to build a large lead.Punia managed to score enough points to move ahead. Ganbaatar tried to respond, but Punia kept control of the match.The Indian wrestler eventually completed the bout with a 2-1 win.The result gave India the bronze medal in the men's freestyle 97kg event and marked another successful Asian Games appearance for Punia.What is next for Indian wrestling?Deepak Punia's bronze adds another result for India at the Asian Games 2026. His second Asian Games medal also adds to the country's wrestling achievements.The focus will now move to the remaining wrestling events and other competitions involving Indian athletes.For Punia, the 2-1 win over Gankhuyag Ganbaatar will be remembered as another Asian Games podium finish. The Indian wrestler leaves the 97kg event with a bronze medal after a closely fought medal bout in Nagoya.
