Former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Geeta Phogat's hopes of returning to the mat after marriage and childbirth were dashed on Friday, as were the hopes of Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik and fellow Olympian Seema Bisla, who both made early exits from the 2021 Senior Men Freestyle, Greco Roman, and Women National Wrestling Championships.

Geeta, a former World Championship bronze medalist, had to settle for silver in the women's 59 kg division on Friday after returning to competitive wrestling for the first time since having a mother in 2018. She had breezed her way to the final, when she found Railways' Sarita Mor, a World Championship bronze medalist, a tough nut to crack and lost. Both Geeta and Sarita have faced difficult struggles in the past. Geeta, the most well-known of the Haryana Phogat sisters, had also lost to Sarita at the 2017 Nationals.

Sakshi Malik, an Olympic medalist in the women's 62kg division, was unable to advance to the medal rounds after losing to H'ryana's Manisha, who went on to lose in the following round and had to settle for a bronze medal. Sangita Phogat, Geeta's younger sister, won the gold medal in the final, defeating Ritu Rani.

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