Idol worship: How Sakshi Malik inspired Sonam Malik’s Olympic dream

There was a time, back in August 2016, when Sonam Malik stared sheepishly at the television screen. She watched Sakshi Malik climb onto the podium -- the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in wrestling. That was the day she decided she wanted to become an Olympian too, and possibly finish on the podium like Sakshi had.

As fate would have it, her path would cross Sakshi’s. But in each of their four meetings on opposite ends of the wrestling mat, it’s been the teenager that has come up with the win.

The most recent bout was in March, when they were competing at the trials for a spot in the team that would travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers. Sonam, who turned 19 in April, came up with an 8-7 win in a thrilling bout. But there was still the matter of earning the Olympic quota in her 62 kg weight category.

The trouble though was that she boarded the flight to Kazakhstan carrying a knee injury. She shrugged it off as the event started just a few hours after landing in Almaty.

She started well, dispatching her first two opponents without much fuss. But in her third bout, against Asian Championship silver medallist and home-favourite Ayaulym Kassymova, the knee gave way.

The Kazakh was quick in her movement and raced to a 6-0 lead as Sonam fought the pain. But she eventually got a grip in the match, using her upper body strength to pull off nine consecutive points and earn the win.

“She played through pain. But that’s what the Olympics are about, after all,” her father Raj was quoted by The Indian Express. “The pain and sweat have only made this achievement sweeter.”

Yet that just remains the first half of achieving the Olympic dream. Now the youngest wrestler in the Indian contingent has spent time repairing the knee and preparing herself for grappling at the biggest stage.

But this has been a dream for a long time. It’s been something she wanted ever since she watched the news on television at her home in Sonipat district of Haryana.

“Chhoti si thi jab Sakshi medal jeeti (She was a small girl when Sakshi won the Olympic medal),” Raj said.

But she beat the Rio bronze medallist to announce herself on the big stage. And now that she’s reached there, she’s just a few wins away from emulating her idol as well.

When will Sonam Malik be seen in action?

Sonam Malik will begin her Tokyo 2020 campaign against Mongolia's Bolortuya Khurelkhuu on Tuesday, August 3.