From a small village to the Olympics

Madina (Sonepat), May 19: Many feared that letting a cadet-level wrestler Sonam Malik compete against established stars in the senior category could result in a serious injury for the youngster or could even spell an early end to her fledgling career.
But the young gun from Madina Village in Haryana’s Sonepat district has proved that the risk was worth taking. It did not take the 19-year-old long to earn a reputation of being a slayer of Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik as Sonam has made the 62kg category her own and is now gearing up to compete at the biggest sporting stage – the Olympics.
It all started when Sonam’s coach Ajmer Malik and her parents began to convince the national federation that the two-time World Cadet champion was ready for a plunge at the senior level.
After much persuasion throughout the 2019, the WFI allowed Sonam to compete in trials for the Rome Ranking series event in January 2020.
The reason behind such assurance and confidence was Sonam’s exceptional show at the local ‘Dangals’, where she was taken for mere assessment but came out triumphant while competing in open category against big names.
Whether it was Ritu Malik, Sarita Mor or Nisha or Sudesh, Sonam did not care for reputations. The Delhi Dangal in 2018 won her a scooter and a prize purse of Rs one lakh and 10 thousand. Overall she won Bharat Kesri title five times. The urge to make a name and earn fame was always there in Sonam’s mind from the time she was just 10 years old.
“In 2012, we watched Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt wrestle in Olympics after a training session in this academy. When I saw them on TV, I also made a promise to myself that one day I will also be on TV and people will watch my bouts,” Sonam recollects one of those days at Netaji Subash Chander Bose Sports Academy in Madina.
Her brother Mohit said, Sonam was rough and tough and fearless but very obedient at the same time since her childhood. In a family which eats, breathes and speaks only wrestling, it is no surprise that Sonam literally lives the sport. (PTI)