Asian Wrestling Championship trials: Sakshi Malik, Pooja Dhanda suffer defeats

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Rio Olympic bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik suffered a major blow she was stunned by two-time world cadet champion Sonam Malik in the semi-final of the women's 62 kg category of the Asian Wrestling Championship trials in Lucknow on Saturday.   

Sakshi Malik was leading 6-4 in the second period, but Sonam rebounded strongly to make it 10-10 with a four-point throw, just three seconds before the end of the bout. Later, Sonam was declared the winner on the criteria of scoring the last point.

The two-time world cadet champion then went on to thrash fellow Indian wrestler Radhika 4-1 in the summit showdown of the event to book her place in the Indian team for the Asian Wrestling Championships. 

In women's 57 kg category, promising junior Anshu Malik outclassed world championship medallist Pooja Dhanda in another last-four encounter before she hammered Mansi Ahalawat in the final of the 57kg category to make it to the Indian team for the upcoming championship.

Besides them, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (53kg), Divya Kakran (68kg), Nirmala Devi (50kg) and Kiran Godara (76kg) all cemented their spot in Asian Wrestling Championship after winning their respective final bouts. 

The Asian Championship is slated to take place in New Delhi from February 18 and 23.