Sumit Malik

Malik was born on 9 January 1993 in Karor village of Haryana's Rohtak district. His mother died when he was young, after which his maternal grandparents took him to his maternal home in Delhi. There his maternal uncle was a wrestler in Chhatrasal Stadium, from whom he got inspiration to become wrestler. He has been training at Chhatrasal Stadium since the age of 13.[1][2][3][4]

Malik's first bout at the 2017 Asian Wrestling Championships was in quarterfinals where he defeated Japan's Taiki Yamamoto by 6–3. After winning his next bout against Tajikistan's Farkhod Anakulov by 7–2, he lost in the final to Iran's Yadollah Mohebbi by 6–2.[4] Later in the year, he participated in the 2017 World Wrestling Championships, where he lost in the opening bout to Russia's Anzor Khizriev. As Khizriev did not become finalist, Malik did not get another chance to make comeback via repechage.[5] In November, he won 2017 National wrestling championships after defeating Hitender in the final.[6] Whereas he lost to Hitender in the final of the 2017 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in the next month.[7]

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Malik won his opening bout of Nordic format after injured Claude Kouamen Mbianga forfeited it. After the closely fought victory against Canada's Korey Jarvis in the second bout by a margin of 6–4, Malik registered comfortable win against Pakistan's Tayab Raza with a score of 10–4. In the last bout, Malik received second walkover of the match when injured Sinivie Boltic forfeited it, thereby winning the title.[8][9]