Anshu Malik creates history

First Indian woman to reach world wrestling c'ship final

Anshu Malik creates history
©olympics.com

OSLO: Tokyo Olympian Anshu Malik advanced to the final of the women's 57kg category on Wednesday at the World Wrestling Championships 2021 in Oslo, Norway, and is assured of a medal.

It is a historic moment for her because she is the first female Indian wrestler to reach the finals of the world championships in any category.

Only four Indian women have won medals at the world championships, all of which were bronze: Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018), and Vinesh Phogat (2018). (2019).

Sushil Kumar is the only Indian to have won a world championship.

Anshu Malik began the day with a win by technical superiority over Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova in the round of 16 and then won by points against Davaachimeg Erkhembayar of Mongolia in the quarter-finals.

She was even more dominant in the semi-finals against Ukrainian Solomia Vynnyk, winning by technical superiority and not conceding a single point to make history.

Anshu Malik will compete in Tokyo 2020 against Helen Louise Maroulis of the United States, the Rio 2016 53kg champion and 57kg bronze medalist.

Sarita Mor of India will compete for bronze in the women's 59kg category after losing in the semi-finals to Bulgaria's Bilyana Zhivkova Dudova, a four-time European champion and world championships silver medalist.

Sarita Mor had defeated defending champion Linda Morais of Canada and German Sandra Paruszewski en route to the final four.

Divya Kakran, a two-time Asian champion, will compete in the repechage rounds of the women's 72kg against Mongolia's Davaanasan Enkh Amar. The winner of the match will go on to compete for bronze against Germany's Anna Schell.

Divya Kakran was eliminated in the last eight by Masako Furuichi of Japan, who advanced to the final, allowing the Indian to compete in the repechage.

Meanwhile, India's Ritu Malik was knocked out in the 16th round of the women's 68kg.

Pooja Jatt, another Indian, was defeated in the first repechage round of the women's 53kg by Ecuador's Luisa Valverde Melendres.

Kiran Bishnoi missed out on bronze in the women's 76kg after losing in a playoff to Egyptian Samar Ibrahim Hamza. In the first repechage round, the Indian defeated Turkey's Aysegul Ozbege.

Edited - SportsAction / Inputs - Agency