TIL Desk Sports/ Sakshi Malik”s inability to get past 18-year-old Sonam Malik has all but ended her chances of making it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 2016 Olympics bronze medallist however sees her junior as nothing more than another wrestler out to make a name for herself. “Yes I have lost two matches to Sonam,” Sakshi told.
“She is also here to achieve something and go to the Olympics, that is the reason why anyone competes.” Sakshi first lost to Sonam in the trials for the Rome Ranking Series and the Asian Championships in January. It meant that she had to compete in the non-Olympic category of 65 kg in the latter tournament that was held in New Delhi in February.
She won a silver at the Asian Championships and thus earned another chance at making it to the Asian Olympic qualifiers but in the subsequent 62 kg trials in Lucknow, she lost to Sonam once again. “I have lost to her twice and I feel that I could not give my 100 per cent in those matches. There was a bit of pressure because the trials were important. That had an effect on the match and I hope I don”t make these mistakes again in the future,” she said.
