The story of victory in her defeat for Anshu Malik – Young Indian wrestler. Anshu Malik lost her first bout in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Wednesday. She lost against Belarus’ Iryna Kurachkina in the women’s freestyle 57kg category. However, Anshu’s campaign at Tokyo Olympics is not over yet as she will get another shot at a medal. She will be getting an entry into the repechage round. As per wrestling rules, any wrestler who loses to an eventual finalist gets a shot at the bronze medal. This is through what is known as the repechage round. Here is all you need to know about the repechage rule in wrestling.
What is repechage round?
Like boxing, wrestling also sees two bronze medals being awarded at the Tokyo Olympics. The opponents of both the finalists gain an entry into the repechage round. They get a second chance at winning a medal. For example, if wrestler A defeats wrestler B in the first round in wrestling at the Olympics. Wrestler B and all the other opponents of wrestler A will get a shot at a bronze medal. The repechage rule was first introduced by the International Olympic Committee in the 2008 Olympics. It is to ensure those wrestlers who end up getting tough draws in their first-round bouts. They are not denied a fair chance at winning a medal.
How can Anshu Malik still win a medal?
Anshu Malik lost to Iryna Kurachkina in the very first round. The Belarusian wrestler has now entered the final in the women’s 57kg freestyle category. Her entry in the final has earned Anshu a repechage bout against the Russian Olympic Committee’s (ROC). Valeria Koblova, who had lost in the quarterfinal against Kurachkina. If Anshu manages to win the repechage bout against Koblova, she will then progress to the second repechage match. It will be a bronze medal clash between her and Bulgaria’s Evelina Nikolova. Evelina had lost against Kurachkina in the semi-final.
Have Indians won Olympic medals through repechage before?
As many as three Indian wrestlers have benefited from the repechage rule in wrestling at the Olympics. They have managed to win medals for the country. Sushil Kumar was the first to earn a bronze medal through repechage at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. In 2012, Yogeshwar Dutt defeated Doug Schwab and Albert Batyrov in the repechage rounds. Beating Leonid Spiridonov in the bronze medal match to win the country’s third Olympic medal in wrestling.
In 2016, Sakshi Malik created history when she became the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal. She had defeated Purevdorj Orkhon and Aisuluu Tynybekova. Through repechage after losing to finalist Valeria Koblova in the quarter-finals to win a bronze medal.
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