Anshu Malik makes history, reaches World Championship final

Oslo (Norway): Anshu Malik on Wednesday made 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.

"The month after the Tokyo Games was very tough. I could not perform as I had wanted at the Games. I suffered an injury (elbow) and can't explain how much pain I endured one month before the World championship.

"I trained hard for this, I wanted to give my 100 per cent and will fight final like my last bout," she said.

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.

Anshu's win also ensured India's first medal from this edition of the event.