Tanu Sharma wins silver in U20 World Championships, family dives in celebration
New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Young Indian grappler Tanu Sharma clinched a silver medal in the U20 World Wrestling Championships, underlining a significant achievement in her budding career as the family in her village dived in joy. Sharma, a wrestler from Hansi’s Bhaklana village in Haryana, achieved the glory during the ongoing Championship in Slovakia in the 72kg category.
She lost to Japan’s Chisato Yoshidda in the final 5-3, which ended her heroic run and dashed her hopes for a gold medal. Speaking after her win, Sharma dedicated the medal to her village and the country and vowed to bring gold the next time. “I am from a small village of Bhaklana in Haryana. I am extremely pleased that I have won a medal at the U20 World Championships for my nation,” she told the media after her win.
She thanked god after her win. “I want to thank God for the achievement first. I am also grateful to my family for having supported me in my journey from the start. I also thank the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for the faith shown in me. This is not just my medal, but a prize that belongs to my entire nation and my village. I missed winning gold, but I will bag it the next time and make my nation more proud,” she added.
In her village in Bhaklana, the family and close ones were also chuffed to bits for the achievement of Sharma. They offered sweets to each other as the parents expressed their joy at seeing their daughter bag the laurel. “The girl had a special interest in sports from childhood. She used to play with her cousins and used to beat all the children of her age,” Tanu’s father, Virendra Shastri, told IANS.
He further stated that her uncle, Narendra Sharma, encouraged Tanu to pursue the sport. “Seeing her wrestling talent, her uncle Narendra Sharma, a retired member of the Indian Army, encouraged her to pursue the sport,” he said.
Virendra stated that he enrolled his daughter on a coaching academy under coach Sanjay Sia, who later enrolled her in the SAI Sports Academy in Hisar. The father revealed a special anecdote of her daughter denying a grand welcome after winning Khelo India medals, including gold and instead wanted a welcome only when she wins an international medal.
“She won a bronze in Khelo India Youth Games in Bhopal and then another bronze in Khelo India University Games in Nagaland. She later won a gold in the Khelo India Youth Games in Chennai, which gave her the wings. The village gave her a grand welcome, but she instead stated that ‘this is not a big medal; welcome me when I bring an international prize,'” he added.
Her mother, Suman Lata, was also jubilant on seeing her daughter win the medal in Slovakia. “I am very happy, sir. Everyone in the village is happy,” she told IANS. On being asked what she fed her daughter, Lata said, “I fed her milk and curd. I also gave her juice and almonds. She ate a lot.”
“The whole village is with her. The whole village is saying that they will welcome her. The girl has made the whole village proud,” she added.
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