Indian wrestler Anshu Malik is taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit after her pre-quarter-final exit from the Paris Olympics. She competed in the 57kg freestyle category at the Games but bowed out of the competition in the round of 16 itself much to her and Indian fans' disappointment losing to USA's vastly experienced Helen Louise Maroulis 2-7.
Malik participated in the second Olympics of her career but was left heartbroken after not being able to win a medal for the country. However, she wants to come back stronger now and before starting her preparation for the next Olympics in 2028, the 23-year-old is keen on spending some time away from wrestling.
"It's hard to accept, but this is a game and winning and losing is part of it. It doesn't matter what the result is, I LOVE WRESTLING. Now, this will be a new beginning for LA 2028. I know I'm a FIGHTER and will come back stronger than ever. But right now, I am taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit. In the meantime, I'll see where I need to make changes," she wrote on Instagram.
For the unversed, Anshu Malik is a silver medallist of the World Championship in 2021. She won a gold medal at the Asian Junior Championships in 2019 in the 59kg category and her last major achievement came in 2022 when she won a silver medal at Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
It was her dream to win a medal at the Olympics and had told her father that she would make her country proud in the 2024 edition of the Games. But it wasn't to be for her and is now keen on bringing glory to the nation in 2028. "The Olympics are now over and with it the dream that I had for 12 years is also over. In 2012, When I started wrestling, I told my father that I would win a medal in the 2024 Olympics. Every day I work just for that day, every night I dream just to get it. But it didn’t turn out the way I thought it would.
"This journey was not easy at all, there were a lot of injuries, many defeats and many victories too. Had emotional and mental breakdowns many times. And the last 2 years was very difficult for me. Yes, I did not win a medal.
But I am happy that despite all these, I represented my country in the Olympics," Anshu further wrote in her post.
