“And now Sakshi has become the only Olympic medal winning female wrestler from this centre”, says Mandeep proudly. Sakshi is a rarity in Indian sport – especially wrestling, and women’s at that – in that she is of an urban middle class upbringing – a trend-bucking feature in the regular trend-bucking feature of girls emerging from the Khap-dominated villages of Haryana.
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From Rohtak to Rio, the story of Sakshi Malik is one of grit, determination and willpower. Then she had gone on to take over Mariana Cherdivara-Esanu in the league of 16 match. “I asked her if she was exhausted, she said nobody feels exhausted after winning a medal for THE country”. Before going to Rio, Sakshi was determined to win a medal. Mr Modi also said, Sakshi Malik will inspire several sportspersons in the years to come.
In his message, the Governor said that the whole country was proud of Sakshi for this achievement. Overall, she is the 4th woman to achieve the feat. Sakshi had luck on her side as she not only won her contest in the last few minutes of the game, after she had lost her quarter-final to her Russian opponent, who reached the final. “This is historic for Indian women wrestlers”, said the elated 23-year-old after the win.
“I was all along confident”.
The medal triggered late-night celebrations across India, and Malik’s hometown Rohtak was in a festive mood with dance, music, fireworks and emotions running high through the night. Still she didn’t lose her hope and motivated towards her vision, which made to stood today at Rio Olympics.
Neighbours, relatives, friends, fellow wrestlers, coaches and political leaders visited Sakshi’s home here after she clinched the medal in Rio.
“It was a dream come true for me, and I had already pre-planned to celebrate this way”, Malik said about winning the bronze medal. We are proud of her and can’t express our happiness in words.
Malik was born in India’s Haryana state, where women were for some time not allowed to take part in wrestling events.
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Sakshi also became the first female grappler from India to climb the podium in the quadrennial sports spectacle the other four medals being won by men, with two of those claimed by Sushil Kumar in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games.
