Oslo, Oct 6: Anshu Malik on Wednesday created 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 here.
The 19-year-old Anshu, the reigning Asian champion, controlled the semifinal from the beginning and won by technical superiority in the 57kg category to go into history books.
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 clinched 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,” said Anshu after making the final.
Anshu had lost her first round bout and also repechage round at the Tokyo Olympics. Anshu also became only the sixth Indian ever to make the Worlds gold medal match after Bishambar Singh (1967), Sushil Kumar (2010), Amit Dahiya (2013), Bajrang Punia (2018) and Deepak Punia (2019).
India has only one world Champion in Sushil till date and Anshu can create another history on Thursday. Anshu’s win also ensured India’s first medal from this edition of the event.
Anshu was clever with her moves. At least thrice, she effected take-down moves from the left of Vynnyk and finished the bout with an exposure move. The Nidani girl started competing in the senior circuit only from last year and has made a steady progress since then.
Earlier, she was hardly troubled by Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova. (PTI)
