Asian Wrestling Championship: Sakshi Malik to fight in new weight category after crossing 58kg mark

Rio Olympics bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik will be the star attraction and spearhead the Indian challenge in a new weight category at the Asian Wrestling Championship, starting on Wednesday. Sakshi, who won bronze medal in Rio in the 58kg category, will now fight in 60kg category while Sarita will take her place in the 58kg.

In a late development, the duo decided to change their weight categories by mutual consent. “The world wrestling body has accepted their requests and Sakshi will now fight in a new weight category,” said Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

In the absence of some of the leading grapplers such as Yogeshwar Dutt, Sushil Kumar and the famous Phogat sisters — Geeta and Babita — the onus will be on the likes of Sakshi, Olympian Sandeep Tomar and Bajrang Punia to help India improve on its last year’s performance at the showpiece event.

India had bagged a total of nine medals including a gold, three silver and five bronze when the tournament was held in Bangkok, Thailand last year. Sandeep (mens’ 57kg freestyle) was the lone Indian to have won a yellow metal there.

This is the first major competition for the Indian wrestlers this year and …read more