Wrestler Sakshi Malik grabs first medal for India at Rio Olympics

Sakshi Malik, 23 year old freestyle wrestler hailing from Rohtak won India’s first medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics by clinching the bronze in the 58 kilogram category.

•   She became the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal.

•   This is the first time a women is getting medal from India in wrestling event.

•   In the playoff bout, Sakshi defeated Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan by 8-5 points.

•   With this she becomes only the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal. Weight-lifter Karnam Malleshwari was the first Indian to win an Olympic medal.

•   She had won a bronze medal in weight lifting event at the 2000 Sydney Games. Boxer MC Marykom and Badminton star Saina Nehwal also had won a bronze medal each in respectively at the 2012 London Games.

•   Olympic medals in Wrestling Sakshi Malik’s bronze medal was India’s fifth wrestling medal in overall at the Olympic Games till date.

•   KD Jadhav , Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt are the other wrestlers winning medal at Olympics earlier.

A bried about Sakshi Malik :

Born on September 3, 1992 in Rohtak district of Haryana.She had started her training in wrestling at an early age of 12 years under the support of Ishwar Dahiya at an akhara in the Chotu Ram stadium. She has won bronze medal at the 2010 Junior World Championships in the 59-kg category, Gold medal at the 2014 Dave Schultz International Wrestling Tournament (60-kg). She also has won silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, bronze medal in 2015 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in Doha and bronze medal at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix in 60-kg category.