Anshu Malik withdraws from Poland Open due to illness, undergoes COVID-19 test

In a major setback, India’s Olympic-bound wrestler Anshu Malik withdrew from the Poland Open on Friday after catching a fever.

Malik, 19, is isolating as a precautionary measure as she awaits the result of her COVID-19 test, PTI reported, citing a source in the Indian camp.

"Anshu did not want to miss the competition but as a precautionary measure she has been isolated and has given a sample to confirm if she is infected with coronavirus or not."

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"It does not look like COVID-19 since she has been in good shape since landing in Warsaw. But such are the times when you can't risk it, so she is being tested."

Anshu Malik's parents contracted the novel coronavirus last month, forcing the wrestler and her younger brother to stay in a hotel in Rohtak until they recovered.

Malik qualified for the Tokyo Games through the Asian Olympic Qualifier held in Almaty in April. She is the second Indian to have pulled out of a ranking tournament ahead of the Olympics, after Deepak Punia had withdrawn from the men's freestyle 86kg competition due to an elbow injury.

India have already enjoyed some success in the tournament, with Tokyo-bound Ravi Dahiya winning silver in the men's 61kg freestyle. Vinesh Phogat will participate in the 53kg category later on Friday.

Anshu Malik's rapid rise

Anshu Malik has competed in only six senior tournaments but has won medals in five of them.

Last year, she won bronze in the 57kg event at the Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi. She also claimed a silver medal at the Individual Wrestling World Cup held in Belgrade, Serbia later that year.

She is one of four female Indian wrestlers to have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.