Wrestlers Sonam Malik, Anshu Malik book Tokyo Olympic berth, door shut on Sakshi Malik
India wrestlers Sonam Malik and Anshu Malik qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after entering the finals of their respective weight category in Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualifier on Saturday. Sonam's qualification has also dashed the hopes of Rio Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik.
In Short
- Sonam Malik qualified for Tokyo Olympics after qualifying for final of 62kg category in Asian Olympic Qualifiers
- Anshu Malik also secured Olympic berth after entering the final of the 57kg category
- India now have six wrestlers who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics
18-year-old wrestler Sonam Malik registered a thrilling come-from-behind win to enter the final of the Asian Olympic Qualifiers and qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in the 62kg category. Also qualifying for the 2020 Games on Saturday was 19-year-old Anshu Malik, who entered the final of 57kg category at the qualifying event to seal a berth.
Anshu and Sonam, who are making a steady transition from the junior to the senior circuit, joined senior pro Vinesh Phogat (53kg) in making the Olympics cut. India now have three women wrestlers, who will now fight for glory at the Summer Games. Vinesh had qualified through the 2019 World Championship.
Congratulations to our women wrestlers, Sonam Malik and Anshu Malik for winning a quota each in #Tokyo2020. Both have shown remarkable performances in the qualifying matches. I wish them the very best in representing India pic.twitter.com/i8hssmMRVb — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 10, 2021
Overall, India now have six wrestlers who have qualified for the upcoming Games. Among men, Bajrang Punia (65kg), Ravi Dahiya (57kg) and Deepak Punia (86kg) have qualified in the men’s freestyle event.
While Anshu was dominant in 57kg competition, Sonam’s resilience eventually helped her secure the quota and shut the door on Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik.
Sonam announced her arrival by defeating Sakshi four times in recent trials, making the 62kg category her own.
Such was Anshu’s dominance that she conceded only two points en route the final, winning all her three bouts by technical superiority. She began by beating Korean Jieun Um, then outsmarted Kazak wrestler Emma Tissina and in the semifinal she beat Uzbekistan’s Shokhida Akhmedova.
Sonam edged China’s Jia Long 5-2 before winning by technical superiority against Hsin Ping Pai of Taipei.
In the semifinal, she trailed 0-6 against Kazakhstan’s Ayaulym Kassymova but reeled off nine points in a row to secure herself the quota.
“She has shown that she is ready for the senior circuit. Look what she has done. People had said that she is still at the cadet level but the consistent victories against Sakshi has boosted her confidence,” Sonam’s personal coach Ajmer Malik told PTI.
“She does not lose confidence or hope now even after conceding points. We are proud of her,” Ajmer, who runs Netaji Subash Chander Sports Institute at Village Madina in Sonepat district, said.
Seema Bisla lost all her three bouts to go out of race in 50kg while Nisha came close to securing quota in 68kg but threw away a 3-1 lead to lose the semifinal by technical superiority against Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Zhumanazarova.
Meerim outsmarted the Indian with her ‘fitley’ (leg lace) attack.
(with input from PTI)