Sonam Malik, coach return to the drawing board, set sights on World Championships in October

Sonam Malik returned home from the airport late on Monday night and the first thing she did was visit her coach Ajmer Malik. Disappointed by her performance at the Olympics, she did not talk much but Ajmer understood what the young wrestler had in her mind.

In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Ajmer Malik said:

“She is certainly disappointed by her performance in Tokyo. Sonam expected to do well but that first round exit certainly left its effect. She is normally very jubilant even after losing but this time it was different. She did not talk much. But I understood what she wants from me.”

Ajmer and Sonam will return to the drawing board to chalk out a route to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sonam Malik, the youngest Indian wrestler at the Olympics, crashed out in the first round of the women’s 62 kg weight category. She lost to Bolortuya Khurelkhuu on criteria after the Mongolian wrestler equalized with a takedown in the last minute.

Sonam Malik suffered last-minute setbacks in Tokyo

Ajmer highlighted that Sonam Malik had not fully recovered from the knee injury she suffered during her Olympic qualifiers. He added that the young wrestler got her periods on the day of the bout which affected her performance.

“We were adviced that she should have surgery for the knee injury she suffered during the qualifiers. But we talked to the doctors and delay it until Olympics. So, that certainly affected her performance. The ‘ladies problem’ was another reason. She complaint that she could not breathe properly and felt her body getting heavier during the bout,” Ajmer said.

Despite this, Sonam Malik put up a brave fight. She opened the scoring with a push out and extended the lead to 2-0 with another push out. She thwarted at least four attempts at a leg attack from Bolortuya but paid the price for being too defensive.

Ajmer said he never expected a medal as the Tokyo Olympics was only to help Sonam prepare for the next Games in Paris. However, he understands that it is time for the young wrestler to mature and start competing without fear.

“She did seem a bit lost due to the health reasons. But this cannot be an excuse every time. She now needs to up her wrestling if she wants to win an Olympic medal.”

The first thing he plans to do is sit and understand Sonam Malik’s mental state during the Olympics. After that he will draw up a plan for her which would include strength, speed and mental training.

“I have noticed some new mistakes Sonam Malik kept making in her bout against the Mongolian. Like she wasn’t able to complete her attacks. Moreover, there seemed to be a mental block. As a coach now it is my responsibility to help her overcome them. We have World Championships in October, so need to get back to working,” he added.