Wrestlers Amit, Bajrang return home to rousing welcome

Wrestlers Amit Kumar and Bajrang return home after winning silver and bronze respectively at the World Championships. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Amit Kumar is the third Indian male wrestler after Sushil Kumar and Ramesh Kumar to win a medal at the World Championships. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

While the final might have been a dull affair, Amit's previous matches showed flashes of his growing mettle. In the semifinals, he overwhelmed Turkey's Sezar Akgul 8-0 in the first period to march into the final. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

After Amit, it was the turn of 19-year-old Bajrang to bag a bronze in the 60kg freestyle category as he saw off Mongolia's Nyam-Ochir Enkhsaikhan in the repechage play-off round. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Incidentally, this was the second time in a row that Bajrang has been able to win a medal after filling in for his mentor Yogeshwar. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Earlier, lack of experience had brought the downfall of Bajrang, who had won a bronze in his senior debut deputising for London bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt at the the Asian wrestling championships held in New Delhi in April. The 7-0 loss against Dubov had hurt. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Before leaving for Budapest, the venue for the 2013 World Championships, wrestler Amit Kumar had announced that he would return with a medal. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Bajrang's first round opponent in the recharge round, Shogo Maeda, conceded the bout due to an injury he had suffered at the hands of Dubov in the quarterfinals. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)

Narsingh Yadav (not in the picture), who missed out on a bronze medal, had an opportunity to create history for India by bagging record third medal at championships after Amit Kumar (silver) and Bajrang (bronze) in the 55kg and 60kg respectively earlier in the tournament. (IE Photo: Ravi Kanojia)