New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS): Wrestler Anshu Malik, who competed in the Paris Olympics 2024, has expressed her thoughts on social media following her defeat in the 57kg pre-quarterfinal match against Helen Louise Maroulis of the USA.

Anshu, who lost the bout 2-7, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, reflecting on her 12-year journey in wrestling and the challenges she faced along the way.

In her post, Anshu mentioned that the Olympics had been her dream since 2012 when she first started wrestling. Despite the disappointment of not winning a medal, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent India on such a prestigious platform. She acknowledged the difficulties, including injuries, emotional struggles, and the intense pressure of competition over the last two years.

"The Olympics are now over and with it the dream that I had for 12 years is also over. In 2012, When I started wrestling, I told my father that I would win a medal in the 2024 Olympics," Anshu wrote on Instagram. "Every day I work just for that day, every night I dream just to get it. But it didn’t turn out the way I thought it would.

"This journey was not easy at all, there were a lot of injuries, many defeats and many victories too. Had emotional and mental breakdowns many times. The last 2 years were very difficult for me. Yes, I did not win a medal. But I am happy that despite all these, I represented my country in the Olympics," it further added.

Anshu also emphasised her love for wrestling and her determination to come back stronger. She announced that she would be taking a short break to regain her physical and emotional strength and to reassess her strategy for the future. Anshu is now looking forward to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where she aims to fulfill her dream of winning a medal.

"It’s hard to accept but this is a game and winning and losing is part of it. It doesn’t matter what the result is, I LOVE WRESTLING. Now this will be a new beginning for LA 2028. I know I’m a FIGHTER and will come back stronger than ever. But right now I am taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit. In the meantime, I’ll see where I need to make changes."

She expressed deep appreciation for her family, coaches, and support team, apologizing for not achieving the goal they all worked so hard for, but promising to make it happen in the future.