Coming into the match to become India’s first female finalist at the World Championship, 19-year-old Anshu started off aggressively with positive intent but eventually lost the summit clash after being pinned.
Sushil Kumar (2010) is India’s lone world champion wrestler till date.
Anshu took a breathless 1-0 lead but in the second half the bout turned into a dramatic fashion. Maroulis caught Anshu in the grip of his arm and pulled him down to complete the take-down move to take a 2-1 lead.
Anshu creates history by becoming the first female wrestler to win silver at the prestigious World Championships @OLyAnshu… https://t.co/VbkrRvX2rS
— Sai Media (@Media_SAI) 1633625913000
She held onto Anshu’s right hand tightly and kept swirling to get the ‘exposure’ point, making it 4-1.
Defending Asian champion Anshu was in terrible pain, but the American didn’t lose his grip and kept Anshu’s back on the mat to win from the fall. Anshu needed medical help soon after the match as she was almost crying.
Nevertheless, it was a heroic performance from a nidani wrestler, becoming the only fifth Indian woman to win a world medal and the best ever.
Geeta Phogat (2012), Babita Phogat (2012), Pooja Dhanda (2018) and Vinesh Phogat (2019) has won one bronze each.
Sarita ended her world medal drought with an 8-2 win over Sweden’s Sarah Johanna Lindborg in the bronze play-off.
Indian women are now at their best in the world as winning two bronze in 2012 through the Phogat sisters was the country’s best.
Sarita stunned the Swede with an early four-pointer and added two more points with a quick take-down. The defending Asian champions took a 6-0 lead from the break and made another breathtaking move in the race for an 8-0 lead.
Sarita won bronze🔥🔥🔥@saritamor3 defeated S Lindborg of Sweden 8-2 to win bronze at #WrestleOslo S… https://t.co/F8yntAL1za.
— Sai Media (@Media_SAI) 1633627172000
Sarita accepted a take-down late in the bout but had enough lead to be the winner. It was his sixth attempt to win a medal at the worlds, failing to do so at one under-23 and four at the senior worlds.
During this, Divya Kakrani (72kg) lost his repechage round to Dawanasan Enkh Amar of Mongolia in the morning session and expected Greco-Roman wrestlers put up a disappointing performance.
Sandeep (55kg), Vikas (72kg), Sajan (77kg) and Harpreet Singh (82kg) bowed out of the competition. Only Sajan managed to win one bout while the other three lost their respective openers.
.