Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath congratulated Indian wrestler Deepak Punia after he won the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 97kg category at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
CM Yogi Adityanath: Deepak Punia Wins Bronze Medal
Deepak Punia secured the bronze by defeating Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganbaatar 2-1 in the medal bout. Punia took an early lead and successfully defended it in the closing stages to finish on the podium.
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The medal marked Punia’s second Asian Games podium finish. He had previously won silver in the men’s 86kg freestyle category at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Yogi Adityanath Congratulates Wrestler
In a social media post, Yogi Adityanath congratulated Punia for what he described as a fighting performance under pressure. He said the wrestler’s bronze had added another medal to India’s wrestling campaign at the Asian Games.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the continued medal-winning performances by Indian wrestlers at the continental competition.
India Returns to 97kg Asian Games Podium
Punia’s bronze was particularly significant for India’s men’s 97kg freestyle wrestling record at the Asian Games. The medal ended a six-decade gap since India last won a medal in this category, with Bhim Singh having secured bronze in 1966.
Punia had earlier reached the semifinals after defeating China’s Zhou Junpeng 12-2 before losing narrowly to Uzbekistan’s Sherzod Poyonov 8-9 in the semifinal.
