Anshu Malik Scripts History, Becomes First Indian Woman Wrestler To Reach World Championship Final

Image Credit: News18

The Logical Indian Crew

Anshu Malik Scripts History, Becomes First Indian Woman Wrestler To Reach World Championship Final

Only four Indian women wrestlers have won medals at the Worlds and all of them —Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018) and Vinesh Phogat (2019) — have won bronze.

Anshu Malik on Wednesday, October 6, scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the World Championship final when she outclassed junior European champion Solomiia Vynnyk but Sarita Mor lost her semifinal and will fight for a bronze in Oslo.

Only four Indian women wrestlers have won medals at the Worlds and all of them —Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018) and Vinesh Phogat (2019) — have won bronze.

"It's extremely satisfying. I am so happy. It feels so good. What I could not do at the Tokyo Games I did that here. I fought each and every bout as my last bout," The Hindu quoted Malik as saying.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Malik had lost in the first round and then in the repechage. After Bishambar Singh (1967), Sushil Kumar (2010), Amit Dahiya (2013), Bajrang Punia (2018), and Deepak Punia (2018), Anshu became only the sixth Indian to make the Worlds gold medal.

Malik's victory also assured India's first medal in this year's competition. She was astute in her manoeuvring and accomplished take-down moves from the left of Vynnyk left at least three times before finishing the battle with an exposure move.

Since last year, the Nidani girl has been competing in the senior circuit and has made steady improvement. Meanwhile, Sarita Mor will compete for bronze after falling 0-3 to defending European champion Bilyana Zhivkova Duodova of Bulgaria in the semi-finals. Divya Kakran startled Kseniia Burakova with a win 'by fall,' but was defeated by Masako Furuich of Japan, in the under-23 world champion.

Also Read: Houston Post Office Renamed To Honour Indian-American Cop Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal Who Was Killed On Duty


Contributors Suggest Correction
Writer : Neelima Mishra
,
Editor : Madhusree Goswami
,
Creatives : Neelima Mishra

Must Reads