With Geeta Phogat’s announcement of making a comeback to wrestling the competition for the Olympic spot in the 62kg weight category in team India has intensified. And one wrestler who is at the centre of it all is 18-year-old Sonam Malik. Before the covid-19 triggered worldwide lockdown, the teenager was India’s top wrestler in the middle-weight category. She earned the top spot by defeating Sakshi Malik, India’s first women Olympic medallist in wrestling, twice. Carrying on the same confidence, she believes she can overcome the new challenge in Geeta. “She is very senior to me so certainly she carries a lot of experience. Her comeback to wrestling in 62kg has intensified the race for the top spot in the Indian team,” Sonam said.
The Haryana wrestler is currently training at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Sports Complex under coach Ajmer Malik. She has put all her trust in him to solve the enigma that is the 2010 Commonwealth Games champion, Geeta. And Ajmer is reciprocating it in the way he knows best, by keeping her mentally strong and helping her overcome the shortcomings. “He tells me that Sakshi and Geeta have competed previously in which the latter lost. And since I have defeated Sakshi, I can defeat Geeta too,” she said confidently.
Other challengers in 62kg
Geeta is not the only opponent that will challenge Sonam for the spot in the Indian team. Sakshi Malik and 2018 Asian Championship gold medallist Navjot Kaur are also eyeing for the same prize. However, her coach believes that the new training module which he has designed will help her on the mat against tough opponents both at the national and international level.
“The most important thing in any sport is the confidence which she currently lacks due to inexperience at the highest level. I make her do circuit training. It is more like a competition between tennis players in the academy and wrestlers. She is always chosen as the captain. This responsibility will help her build confidence and leadership. Besides this, it will also increase her endurance and speed,” he said.
She is also taking tennis lesson as part of the training. Ajmer says that she must build a competitive spirit to excel at the senior level. “Currently, Sonam holds back during the matches. But that is what we are here for and training sessions like this is a great way for her to build that competitive spirit which she currently lacks,” he said. “When the tennis athletes and wrestlers compete whichever faction loses, they then wait eagerly for the next week to take their revenge. This way everyone is on their toes throughout the week,” he added.
National Camp in September
Sonam is gearing up for the national camp which will resume from September 1. Although the youngster is a little apprehensive about attending it, she says, she will have to attend it. “I don’t know. Seeing the current conditions, I don’t feel safe in attending it. I even talked to Vinesh and she told me she is not going”.
