Anshu Malik took Indian wrestling with a storm, with the first female wrestler from the country to reach the final of the World Championship in Oslo in October this year.
He lost to the Rio Champion of the Rio 2016 Olympics, Helen Louise Maroulis, in the battle title of the Women’s 57kg Freestyle Division.
But the girl from Nidani in Jind Haryana Regency controlled history by becoming the only third Indian wrestler who had made a gold medal turn in the world, it was also, in his debut season as a senior wrestler.
Previously, only four Indian women’s wrestlers managed to secure medals in the world and all settled for Bronze – Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018) and Vinesh Phogat (2019).
Double Olympic Medal Sushil Kumar is the Lone World Wrestling Champion from India, winning the title in Moscow in 2010.
Bajrang Punia has approached matching Sushil’s achievements but lost his last match in the world 2018 to finish silver.
This year also saw Anshu Muda made his Olympic debut in Tokyo, where he got lost in the Repechage round.
The 20-year-old has sealed its place for Tokyo’s match in the Asian Olympic qualifier in Almaty, ahead of the world championship and compatriot Pooja Dhanda.
Anshu has made a stable transition from a junior to the senior circuit, beating big names like Pooja, Sarita Mor and Lalita to make their own 57kg division.
In fact, he had competed only in six senior tournaments so far in his promising career and won medals in five of them, became the champion of Asia in the process.
He also boasts silver in the individual World Cup.
“The past year has been extraordinary for me.
Obviously, the Silver Medal in the Oslo World is my high point in 2021.
But the qualifications for Tokyo are as important as me.
This is the first time in my career that I participated in so many competitions in one year And, fortunately, back with a medal from each of them, except Tokyo where I lost in Repechage.
I have gotten a lot of experience competing on senior circuits and this will hug me well when I prepare for a bigger challenge on Front next year, “said Anshu Toi.
He revealed that his shoulder injury, elbows and ankles suffered during the world met forced him to pass the mat training for more than two months and only two weeks that he had continued his training session under the guidance of his long coach Jagdish.
Shooran at Chaudhary Bharat Singh Memorial Sports School in Nidani.
“I’m rehabilitation after returning from the world, because the injury has taken the victim in my body.
I haven’t given my 100 percent on the mat and will take another 20-25 days to get my full fitness level.
I have been told by my coach not to Mobilize yourself during the training session and will gradually see his steps.
“Next year is very important to me.
I have planned to return to the competition with the Asian senior championship in April, which will be my comeback tournament since the world.
Then, we will have a Commonwealth game in Birmingham and then Asian Games.
My target is to win a medal at all of these events, “he added.