Tokyo 2020 Olympian Deepak Punia qualified for the Asian Wrestling Championships 2025 on his return to the mat.
There was a glaring change in his weight category as he competed in 92kg, which is non-Olympic, instead of his original 86kg.
“Yes, I have changed my category at the moment. I will play in this category till the World Championships and return to 86 kg after that. Right now, I aim to be on the mat, no matter what category I play. So, it’s just preparation for the World Championships,” Deepak told the Indian Express.
Deepak’s long-wait to the mat came after he recovered from a muscle tear in his thigh. “I had a muscle tear in my thigh and had to undergo surgery. I took a good three to four months of rehabilitation and recovery to come back,” he said.
“I have changed my wrestling technique a bit and worked on my endurance. Also, I have started focusing on the positive things, so I enter a big tournament like Asian C’ships with a positive mindset,” Deepak concluded.
Earlier, last year, Deepak had missed the Paris 2024 Qualifiers due to a flight delay. By the time he reached Bishkek, the weigh-in process for the wrestlers was already done and the organizers did not allow him.
“The flight delay was not in my hands. It happened due to a natural disaster, and I have made peace with missing the Paris Olympics and have moved on from it,” he said.
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