Wrestling: India’s Sonam wins second Cadet World Championships gold in three years

India captured their first gold medal of the Cadet Wrestling World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria as Sonam Malik won the title in women’s wrestling on Thursday. It was also India’s first medal in women’s wrestling at the championships this year.

The 17-year-old, who had won the world title in 2017 in the 56 kg weight category, won her second world title, this year in 65 kg category. Sonam also has won a bronze medal in the 65 kg category at world championships last year.

In the final, Sonam held off Xiang Binbin of China by scoring a four-point takedown in the second period for a 7-1 victory. The scoring opened for Sonam when she was awarded a point for Xiang’s passivity and the scored remained 1-0 at the end of the first period.

Both wrestlers locked each other’s body early in the second period but Sonam managed to put Xiang on the mat to earn two points and led 3-0. Then came the four-point takedown with one minute remaining. Sonam was cautioned for being passive but she managed to hold-off Xiang to win the gold.

The Haryana girl had booked her spot in the final on Wednesday. She began the day with a 9-1 win over Khadija Jlassi of Tunisia before defeating Lillian Freitas of USA 7-1. She also got the better of European cadet champion Ekaterina Glukhareva of Russia.

Apart from her three medals at world championships, Sonam also has one silver and two bronze medal at the Asian level. She has also won the gold medal at the World School Games. Sonam hails from Madina village in Sonipat district and began wrestling at the local academy.

Two other women from India reached the bronze medal bouts but failed to win. Madhuri Patel was up against Aida Kerymova of Ukraine in the 43 kg category but was pinned. In the 73 kg category, Pooja made it to the bronze medal play-off via repechage but fell to Julia Hanna Fridlund of Sweden 3-2, giving up a takedown in the final 20 seconds of the bout.

On Friday, Komal will be wrestling for gold in the 40 kg category against Sterling Dias of USA. Hanny Kumari and Bhagyashree Fand have a chance to wrestle for bronze but will have to win their repechage bouts.

India’s other medallists at the ongoing championships are Udit (48 kg), Aman (55 kg), Manish Goswami (65 kg), Anirudh Kumar (110 kg): the four winning bronze medals in their respective freestyle categories.