Anshu, Sonam and promise of a new era in Indian women’s wrestling

Everyone thought it was a fluke when young Sonam Malik defeated 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik in the selection trials in Lucknow in 2020. Within a month, Sonam beat Sakshi again to make it to the Indian wrestling squad for the Asian Qualifiers.

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She went on to register two more wins against Sakshi and, along with another young wrester Anshu Malik, made it to the Tokyo Olympics squad. In Japan though Sonam lost in the first round of the 62kg category and Anshu was eliminated in 57kg repechage.

That gloom has given way within a month into big hopes for Indian women’s wrestling from talented youngsters.

The silver medal won by Anshu Malik, first by an Indian woman in the world championships, last month is being seen as a new generation of women wrestlers beginning to make a mark. A generation seen as technically stronger, confident and more aware of modern techniques.

“A more conducive system, which includes infrastructure, advanced training, exposure trips and money, has lifted the standard of women’s wrestling in India. The overall scenario is much better now,” said Sonam’s coach Ajmer Malik, who trains around 50 girls at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Sports Institute at Madina in Sonepat, Haryana.

“Earlier, wrestlers hid their injuries as they feared they may not get a chance to appear in the trials. A decade back, there was hardly any support to get you fit in quick time. Now, in Haryana alone, there are over 5,000 women wrestlers in different age groups. Before the Phogat sisters emerged at the international level in a big way, there were only a limited number of women wrestlers in the domestic circuit.

“In the past, wrestlers would come to know who their opponent was only after landing in the country where they were to compete. Now they know everything beforehand, watch the video footage of their opponents and prepare,” he said. “As coach, I too have upgraded with modern wrestling techniques. Good money, sponsorship and modern facilities have changed the scenario in India.”

More young girls take up wrestling to gain social status and get jobs. The success story of the Phogat sisters inspired many families in Haryana to break the tradition of not allowing their daughters to get into sport. Parents also realised that sport can help their daughters get jobs, especially in government organisations like Railways.

“Most women wrestlers come from a wrestling background as the sport is a tradition in this part of the country. Both Anshu and Sonam are from wrestling backgrounds as their fathers were wrestlers,” said Ajmer. “The sport gives job opportunities and doesn’t require any expenditure in the beginning. Anyone can join an akhara free of cost.”

The rivalry between Sonam and Anshu at junior level was well known as they faced off many times in the domestic circuit. The two became best friends only when their families agreed to split their weight categories to keep medal hopes alive in different divisions.

Poor fitness was an issue with both before the Tokyo Games. Sonam, soon after qualification, spent most of her time nursing a left knee injury. Anshu’s build-up was marred by an outbreak of Covid in her family.

“Sonam was in pain when she returned home after qualifying for Tokyo. She had almost recovered before boarding the flight for the Olympics. If her problem had flared up, she could have done wonders there,” the coach said.

Alka Tomar’s world championships bronze medal in 2006 was the first big achievement in Indian women’s wrestling. It was before Sushil Kumar’s bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Much has changed since then. Phogat sisters Geeta and Babita took the sport to new heights with stirring performances at the national and international levels, with the Bollywood biopic “Dangal” making them household names.

Inspired by their father Mahavir, both won international medals. Both won gold at the 2009 Commonwealth Championships before Geeta became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a Commonwealth Games gold in 2010 New Delhi, where Babita took a silver.

They could not make a mark at the Olympics though. Sakshi Malik did, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal. Her bronze at the 2013 Commonwealth Championships was followed by silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 Asian Championships before the Rio bronze.

Vinesh Phogat, a cousin of Geeta and Babita, became a star, winning bronze at the 2013 Asian Championships in New Delhi, gold at the 2014 CWG and bronze at that year’s Asian Games. She landed at the Rio Games as a medal contender, but a serious knee injury in the quarter-final cut short her dream. She bagged silvers at the Asian Championships in 2017 and 2018, defended her CWG gold and won her first Asian Games gold at 2018 Jakarta.

In 2019, she won bronze at the world championships at Kazakhstan and clinched a berth for Tokyo, where she was eliminated in the second round.

Anshu, with nine international medals including three gold medals, and Sonam represent the new generation, and more can join them as the 2024 Paris Olympics approaches.

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