(Wrestling News) Anshu Malik’s father, Dharamvir Malik, found it challenging to control his emotions. The match held significance as it was a grudge match between Anshu, the 22-year-old former World Championship silver medalist, and Sarita, 28, the former bronze medalist. Anshu had faced a defeat against Sarita at the Asian Games trials last year, competing with a grade-II ligament tear of the knee. The Senior National Wrestling Championships in Jaipur marked her comeback, with a lot at stake.
Dharamvir, a former wrestler and one of Anshu Malik’s coaches, received two warnings from officials for expressing displeasure at the referees, as he gestured and shouted during the match. Despite the emotional intensity, Anshu Malik managed to lead 2-1 at the end of the first period and eventually outclassed Sarita 8-3 in the final.
The victory was a significant relief for both father and daughter before their upcoming trip to Yokohama’s Nippon Sports Science University in Japan, known for producing successful Japanese women wrestlers like Akari Fujinami, the current 53 kg star.
Dharamvir, Anshu, and a physio will travel to Japan, with preparations including packing familiar food items like ghee, aata, chawal, and dal to ease the adjustment to Japanese cuisine. The highlight of the trip is the opportunity for Anshu to spar and train with the two-time world champion Fujinami, despite being in different weight classes (Anshu’s Olympic category is 57kg).
Dharamvir emphasized that the trip to Japan, supported by the Sports Authority of India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme, is an opportunity for the wrestling family from Nidani, Haryana, to learn from the best. They aim to understand the training methods, drills, and systems that make Japanese wrestlers successful.
The national title was a significant morale boost for Anshu, who had faced challenges, including missing the Asian Games due to injury. She expressed the importance of the gold medal in evaluating her performance ahead of Olympic trials.
Nirmala, a 39-year-old wrestler from Haryana, also secured gold in the 50 kg category at the Senior Nationals. Having been on the wrestling circuit for over 20 years, Nirmala’s victory marked her 16th gold at the Senior Nationals. She highlighted her love for wrestling and expressed hope in qualifying for the Paris Olympics, aiming to overcome challenges faced during the previous Olympic qualifying tournaments.
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