Many feared that letting a Cadet-level wrestler Sonam Malik compete towards established stars within the senior class may end in a severe damage for the teen or may even spell an early finish to her fledgling profession. But the younger gun from Madina Village in Haryana’s Sonepat district has proved that the danger was value taking.It didn’t take the 19-year-old lengthy to earn a status of being a slayer of Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik as Sonam has made the 62kg class her personal and is now gearing up to compete on the greatest sporting stage — the Olympics.
It all began when Sonam’s coach Ajmer Malik and her mother and father started to persuade the nationwide federation that the two-time World Cadet champion was prepared for a plunge on the senior degree.
It is uncommon that somebody who has not had the publicity even on the junior degree, is claimed to be prepared for the competitors on the highest degree. After a lot persuasion all through the 2019, the WFI allowed Sonam to compete in trials for the Rome Ranking collection occasion in January 2020.
“After the trials have been over and Sonam had earned berth within the Indian staff with a win over Sakshi Malik, Neta ji (WFI President BB Sharan) stated, ‘it would have been a big mistake if we had not agreed on Sonam’s look within the trials’,” Sonam’s coach Ajmer told PTI.
“The WFI and many others had argued that she would get injured since she lacks experience. They said we will jeopardise her career by doing this, but we kept cajoling the federation.”
The motive behind such assurance and confidence was Sonam’s distinctive present on the native ‘Dangals’, the place she was taken for mere evaluation however got here out triumphant whereas competing in open class towards large names. Whether it was Ritu Malik, Sarita Mor or Nisha or Sudesh, Sonam didn’t look after reputations. She competed fiercely towards the large names in Indian girls wrestling.
“We simply needed to assess the place she was towards these ladies however she stored pulling of massive performances,” said Ajmer. The Delhi Dangal in 2018 won her a scooter and a prize purse of Rs one lakh and 10 thousand. Overall she won Bharat Kesri title five times.
The urge to make a name and earn fame was always there in Sonam’s mind from the time she was just 10 years old. “In 2012, we watched Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt wrestle in Olympics after a training session in this academy. When I saw them on TV, I also made a promise to myself that one day I will also be on TV and people will watch my bouts,” Sonam recollects a kind of days at Netaji Subash Chander Bose Sports Academy in Madina.
“I needed to win medals, these belts and see the Indian flag going up on the medal ceremony.” Her brother Mohit, who also pursued sport for some time before a shoulder injury ended his dream, said, Sonam was rough and tough and fearless but very obedient at the same time since her childhood.
“If the coach says you have to run 5 kms, she would do it without complaining. We would often lie to our coach but that we have completed the run but she would never claim unless she has done it,” stated Mohit.
“She beloved competing towards the large boys. I by no means noticed worry in her thoughts. Even if she misplaced to them, she was by no means ruffled. ” To this, Sonam says,”It was extra enjoyable beating these sturdy boys. To wrestle towards ladies was additionally good however competing towards boys was at all times a superb take a look at for me.”
When she is not sparring on the mat, she is doing her second most favourite thing, discuss wrestling. A family which eats, breaths and talks only wrestling, it is no surprise that Sonam literally lives the sport.
She does not have much interest in anything else. Coach Ajmer would vouch for her sincerity.
“We have to tell her every time that it’s time to stop training. One day I told everyone that all guys have to do 350 sit-ups. When they were done, I said you have to do 150 more. While the others were harried, Sonam quietly started doing and completed the task.”
“She wouldn’t by no means complain about laborious work.”
It is this sheer dedication from where Sonam draws her stamina and strength which is seen in her bouts. No matter she is trailing by how many points, she will catch her opponents by the end of the second period. This is exactly what happened when she was up against Sakshi in her first-ever bout in January 2020. She was trailing 4-6 and then 6-10 but in dying moments, Sonam pulled off a four-pointer to shock her fancied rival.
Not once or twice, Sonam beat Sakshi four time in a row. “I saw her first time in 2017. It was dream to wrestle against her, My coach told me, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. I don’t know how I did it but I just gave my all,” she stated.
In two month’ time when Sonam will take mat once more as a 19-year-old on the Tokyo Olympics, she would don’t have anything to lose and all the things to achieve.
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