Chandigarh wrestler wins gold in boys’ 65 kg Greco Roman category

As 17-year-old Yashveer Malik became the first Chandigarh wrestler to win gold in this edition of the Khelo India Youth Games at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex with a 6-2 win over Nishant in the boys’ 65 kg Greco Roman category on Monday, the wrestler was hugged coach Darshan Lal before meeting Chandigarh director sports Tejdeep Singh Saini. The DAV Senior Secondary School (Lahore), Sector 8, Chandigarh wrestler’s feat of winning the gold for Chandigarh saw the Chandigarh contingent finish the day with an overall total of seven medals: three gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
“A lot of my friends and relatives had come to see me wrestle here at the Khelo India Youth Games. To win a medal here in front of my coaches as well as friends and family members is a special feeling. My coach Darshan Lal sir has been an inspiration for me and to see him cheering for me is the biggest gift from my side to him,” said Malik after winning the gold medal.
With his father Krishan Kumar working as a havildar with the Indian Army and the family belonging to Jind in Haryana, a young Malik would shift to his uncle Raj Kumar at his Manimajra residence in 2015. The youngster would initially wrestle in local akhadas in Manimajra before enrolling under coach Darshan Lal at Manimajra Sports Complex. In 2018, Malik won the gold medal in U-15 category in junior nationals in Uttar Pradesh before winning the bronze medal in Asian U-15 Wrestling Championship in Iran in 2019. Last year, the youngster won the bronze medal in 55kg category in cadet nationals in Chandigarh before he was selected in the 60kg category for the Asian Cadet Championship to be held in Kyrgyzstan later this month. “Initially, I missed my family but then my uncle supported me a lot. Competing in the local competitions in Manimajra helped me hone my basics before Darshan sir trained me in the Greco Roman category. To win the bronze medal in cadet nationals last year motivated me a lot and this gold medal will motivate me for a good show in the Asian Cadet Championship later this month,” Malik said.
Coach Darshan Lal counts this gold medal as an important one in his ward’s career. “Yashveer’s technique was very good for Greco Roman and hence we put him in this category. His reach is very good which is a must in this category and he is always eager to improve further. This month’s Asian Cadet Championship too will be an important tournament for him,” said Darshan Lal.Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium