"Itna easily kaise haar sakte ho aap?"- Fans express disappointment after Anshu Malik loses Round of 16 bout to Helen Maroulis at Paris Olympics 2024

Wrestler Anshu Malik’s dream of an Olympic gold or silver medal is now over after she lost her women’s 57kg round of 16 match. Malik was defeated by USA’s Helen Louise Maroulis, 7-2, in her Paris 2024 Olympic bout.

At the halfway point, the Indian was still in the hunt, trailing her opponent by only two points. However, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, Helen, showed her skills by getting a takedown and then followed it up with a rotation. By doing so, the American wrestler took a 6-0 advantage.

Though Malik was able to close the gap a little, bringing it to 6-2, she eventually ran out of time to make a comeback. The final point was taken by Maroulis who was able to push her opponent out of bounds.

The Indian fans have since shown their disappointment with the loss as their hopes for a medal in wrestling diminished further. The fans took to social media platform X( Twitter) to express their discontent with Malik.

"Dear Anshu Malik ji, thoda to fight kar leti.... Itna easily kaise haar sakte ho aap? Galat ladki chali gayi kya wrestling karne? Ye to koi wrestler nahi lagti," wrote one user.

"I don't want to be harsh but how is Anshu Malik qualified for the Olympics? She didn't do anything in the last Olympics and the same story today as well. Many other quality wrestlers are waiting," wrote a fan.

"Anshu malik always under perform jha tough competitor aya katam ek bhi single attack nhi banaya waise bhi hamara female mai strong 53 kg category tha," a fan commented.

"Anshu Malik with a little bit of a disappointing performance. I know her opponent was really good but it was rough," a user wrote.

Anshu Malik was clearly very nervous in her match," a fan expressed.

"There was clear difference in energy levels. That's why high weight category reduce weight and play in lower weight. Perfect example of this bout between Anshu vs Helen," a user said.

---

Anshu Malik's opportunity to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 still alive

Though she cannot win a gold or a silver medal, Malik can still clinch a bronze from the Paris Olympics 2024. Interestingly, the 23-year-old will now be relying on her round of 16 opponent if she wants to qualify for the bronze medal match.

Malik can compete in the repechage round if Helen Maroulis is able to make it into the finals. The Indian wrestler's hopes for a coveted podium finish hang by a thread as the American wrestler will be competing in a challenging semifinal bout next.

Maroulis will be taking on the first-seeded Tsugumi Sakurai of Japan in her next encounter, defeating who might not be the easiest.