Shuttler P V Sindhu made a historic entry into the final of women’s singles in Olympic Games badminton here, a day after grappler Sakshi Malik had nailed the country’s first medal after 11 blank days in this Brazilian city. “I don’t want to miss that and will be praying for her success”, said Tendulkar, who is Changing Diabetes Ambassador of pharmaceutical major Nova Nordisk.
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India’s new female hero stepped up onto the podium full of pride and received her well-deserved bronze medal, creating a dramatic moment for India at the Rio Olympic Games. Mr Modi also said, Sakshi Malik will inspire several sportspersons in the years to come. She took up the sport when she was just nine years old.
She told ANI that there was absolutely no negativity during any of her bouts, even when she was down and seemingly out. “My hard work has succeeded”, Sakshi said.
“Her grandfather was also a wrestler”. Of course! Till she entered Rio none of them knew her, few don’t know her till today morning! She never regretted her decision till date. “I have stood up to the hopes of the country for the first medal”.
Sakshi’s mother echoed similar sentiments. “When she started getting medals people stopped speaking”, she said. Now I am also in that elite list and it feels great. Her grit and determination carried her through her bouts. “She has done the country and us proud”. The airline took note of this and, marking their “recognition and gratitude” for her ‘outstanding achievement at the Rio Olympics, ‘ have offered her two return business class tickets between any two destinations on the Air India network, valid for a period of two years.
A visibly happy Sudesh said, “We are elated at her feat”.
On her aggression on the mat: I am not an aggressive person outside the mat.
Wrestler Sakshi Malik finally opened the account for India in the Rio Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the womens 58-kg category defeating Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kazakhstan by a 8-5 margin.
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The 23-year-old from Haryana, a silver medallist at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze victor at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, earned a dramatic come-from-behind 8-5 win over Kyrgysztan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova in the bronze medal play-off here.
