India’s Anshu Malik loses opening bout, but repechage keeps Tokyo Olympics wrestling medal hopes alive

Indian wrestler Anshu Malik, the reigning Asian champion, lost to two-time world championship bronze medallist Iryna Kurachkina of Belarus 8-2 in the Tokyo Olympics women’s 57kg category at the Makuhari Messe on Wednesday.

However, her debut Olympic campaign didn’t end there as she will face 2016 Rio silver medallist Valeria Koblova of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in the repechage round next.

The repechage rule allows wrestlers who have lost early in the competition a second chance, should their victor make it to the final. Since Iryna Kurachkina made it to the final, Anshu Malik was handed a reprieve.

Should Anshu Malik win against Valeria Koblova, the Indian will wrestle Bulgaria’s Evelina Nikolova, who lost to Iryna Kurachkina in the semi-finals, in the bronze match. Nikolova is a world championships bronze-medallist.

Earlier against Kurachkina, the reigning European champion and a two-time world championships bronze medallist, Anshu started on a cautious note and ended up getting a passive warning.

A passive warning is a 30-second warning where the grappler has to score, failing which the opponent is awarded one point.

Anshu then conceded another point for ‘out of play’ as the Belarusian pushed the Indian in the protection zone. Iryna then executed a two-point takedown to end the first period 4-0 up. 

Anshu, who suffered a back injury in Rome in March, got two consecutive points for sending her opponent ‘out of play’, hoping to turn the match around.

Anshu took some risks but good defence from Iryna reversed the manoeuvre against the Indian, awarding two points to the Belarusian. Another attacking move by Anshu turned to Iryna’s advantage, worth two points, concluding the bout.

Anshu Malik had sealed her place at Tokyo 2020 through the Asian Olympic qualifiers in April. Anshu managed to win the quota ahead of world championship bronze medallist and compatriot Pooja Dhandha.