Wrestling World Championships 2021: Anshu Malik becomes first Indian woman to win silver; Sarita Mor bags bronze medal

Young grappler Anshu Malik has scripted history at the World Wrestling Championships 2021. Anshu has become the first Indian woman to win a World Championships silver medal. She lost to USA’s Helen Louise Maroulis 4-1 in an enthralling bout in the final of the 57kg weight division to bag India’s first medal at the tournament.

Maroulis, a former Olympic winner, and two-time world champion defeated Malik to win her third World Championship title in Oslo. Anshu had an impressive run to the final as she toppled the likes of junior European champion Solomiia Vynnyk and Kazakhstan’s Nilufar Raimova via technical superiority to script history.

Anshu Malik and Sarita Mor join elite list

Sarita Mor has bagged India’s second medal at the Wrestling World Championships 2021. She beats Lindborg of Sweden by a margin of 8-2 in the women’s 59kg division bronze medal match. The two-time Asian champion put up a stunning show to first win the repechage round before clinching the third spot on the podium.

Only four Indian women wrestlers had won medals at the Worlds. Anshu and Sarita joined the likes of Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018), and Vinesh Phogat (2019) in the elite list. Anshu is only the third Indian to win a silver medal at the Worlds after Sushil Kumar (2010) and Bajrang Punia (2018).

Also Read: Olympic Silver Medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya Skips World Wrestling Championships 2021