After her Nationals win, India’s rolling tank Anshu Malik to head to Japan to train with Akari Fujinami | Sport-others News

Sitting in the coach’s corner, wrestler Anshu Malik’s father Dharamvir Malik’s emotions got the better of him during the 59 kilogram final against Sarita Mor. This was a grudge match between Anshu, the 22-year-old former World Championship silver medal and Sarita, 28, the former bronze medal. At the Asian Games trials last year, Anshu had lost 4-6 to Sarita. Anshu had competed in the trials with a grade-II ligament tear of the knee. The Senior National Wrestling Championships in Jaipur was her comeback and there was a lot at stake.Dharamvir was warned twice officials not to vent his ire at the referees but he kept jumping off his chair to gesture and shout.At the end of the first period, Haryana’s Anshu was ahead 2-1 and went on to outclass Railways Sports Promotion Board’s Sarita 8-3 in the final.
Dharamvir, a former wrestler, trails Anshu like a shadow and is also one of her coaches. Winning gold was a relief for the father and daughter before they travel to Yokohama’s Nippon Sports Science University, the nursery for famed Japanese women wrestlers, including the current 53 kg star Akari Fujinami.
Dharamvir, Anshu and a physio will make the trip to Japan. Getting used to the food will take time, Dharamvir says, so he is packing ghee, aata, chawal and dal. “Initially it is better to have home food and then we will slowly adjust to the diet in Japan,” Dharamvir said.
But the biggest plus is that the two-time world champion Fujinami has agreed to spar and train with Anshu. They are in different weight classes – Anshu’s Olympic category is 57kg, but not everyone gets a chance to learn from the best in the business. Fujinami, the Japanese wrestling wunderkid, now 20, has gone 111 domestic and international matches without being defeated since 2017, winning the World title and Asiad.

Japan is not a common destination for India’s wrestlers. “I am going to Japan for training with the support of the Sports Authority of India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme, because Japan is the best in wrestling,” Anshu said moments after winning the gold.
Dharamvir says the trip will be an eye-opener for the wrestling family from Nidani, Haryana. “We also train hard, eat well and have talent. But the reason we are going to Japan is to find out how they are so good. There is something they do which we do not know about. It could be the way they train or the drills they do or the system they have in place. Once we go there, we will get a better idea. Anshu and I discussed in detail why we should go to Japan. If you aspire to be the best in the world, then better to train with the best. Anshu has been in touch with Akari and they will train together,” Dharamvir said.
The national title was a much-needed boost for Anshu who could not qualify for the Asian Games and was off the mat during the injury layoff.
“To win gold after coming back from injury is a morale-booster. After the CWG, I had an elbow surgery and then a ligament tear of the knee (last year). At the Asian Games trials also I was carrying an injury. This nationals was important for me because this is an Olympic year. There are qualifying trials later and I wanted to see where I am lacking. This gold is important because I had lost to her (Sarita) in the Asian Games trials. It is great that I could return to the mat with a win,” Anshu said.
Anshu didn’t need surgery for the Grade II ligament tear on the knee which was a blessing, Dharamvir said. “When a wrestler has to undergo surgery it is a different challenge. Luckily we had the support of the Olympic Gold Quest and had a good physio in Chennai where Anshu underwent rehabilitation. Now her knee is fine and we know she is not having any issues related to movement,” Dharamvir said.

Anshu still has a long way to go before she reaches her peak. “I am at 70 percent fitness,” she said.
Both Anshu and Sarita didn’t participate in the 57 kg (Olympic weight class) but will have to cut weight soon for the trials for Olympic Qualifiers at the end of February.“I chose 59 here because after the injury I had put on weight. So the physio said don’t lose too much weight because there could be risk of injury. But I will now have to compete in 57kg. I could not win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but I hope to make amends this time,” Anshu said.
Gold at nearly 40
Haryana’s Nirmala, 39, defeated RSPB’s Neelam fall with three minutes and 50 seconds left in the 50 kg final to win gold. Nirmala took a while but confirmed that she had bagged her 16th gold at the Senior Nationals. Nirmala, a 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medall, has been on the circuit for over 20 years. “I continue to wrestle because I don’t know what to do if I stop wrestling,” Nirmala said.
Nirmala had knee surgery two years ago but returned to win silver at the previous edition of the senior nationals and a gold at the World Police Games in Canada. The gold at the ongoing nationals has boosted her confidence. She hopes to qualify for the Paris Olympics. “Last time I had an injury just before the Olympic qualifying tournaments. So I could not participate. Hopefully, this time I will make it.”