Rio 2016 medallist Sakshi Malik took up sports because she wanted to fly in an airplane
India is celebrating Sakshi Malik, the 23-year-old wrestler, who gave the country its first medal at the Rio Olympics. We take a look at the story of a young woman, who created history in the world's biggest sporting arena.
BRIEFCASE
- 1Sakshi Malik is the first Indian woman wrestler to win a medal at the Games
- 2She is also the fourth Indian woman athlete to make the podium in Olympic Games
- 3Sakshi is also the 2014 Commonwealth Games Silver medallist
Not all kids dream of an Olympic medal when they step out to play in their neighbourhood. One of the most decorated Olympians Usain Bolt didn't want to become a sprinter - he instead wanted to become a cricketer. But a Bolt struck the sporting world. So has a Sakshi Malik. (Rio Olympics 2016 full coverage)
When many of India's top athletes kept missing podium finishes, the 23-year-old wrestler from Rohtak rose to the occasion. (Also read: Sakshi Malik a reminder of what can happen if you don't kill a girl child: Virender Sehwag)
Before flying down to Brazil, Sakshi had no idea what a career in wrestling could give her in the future. She took to wrestling for she wanted to travel in an aeroplane. Yes! All that she wanted to do was to train hard so that she could sit in a flight and travel the globe. (Also read: 'It took a woman athlete to slap Shobhaa De'. Twitter cheers Sakshi Malik after Bronze medal)
She teold ESPN that when she started, she didn't know what the Olympics, Commonwealth and the Asian Games were. But at the time of this piece being written, she is the most talked about person in the country. (Also read: It was a dream to run with the Indian flag: Sakshi Malik to India Today)
Early on Thursday morning (India time), Sakshi gave the nation a lot to cheer for when she overturned a 0-5 deficit in a hectic second round to win 8-5 in the bronze medal bout against Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynybekova.
- Sakshi was born on September 3, 1992 to Sudesh Malik and Sukhbir Malik in Haryana, a state known for female genocides. Sakshi's parents supported her from a very young age despite their villages ridiculing them for letting a female child take up a sport in which one had to train with male wrestlers.
- Till 2002, in Sakshi's state, Haryana, male and female wrestlers were not allowed to train together.
- Under the guidance of coach Ishwar Dahiya, Sakshi focussed in the sport and went onto to win a Bronze 2010 Junior World Championships in the 59kg at the age of 18.
- In 2014, Sakshi stole international limelight by winning Gold at the Dave Schultz International Wrestling Tournament in the 60kg category.
- Sakshi was under the shadow of the Phogat sisters - the Haryana trio of Vinesh, Geeta and Babita, all of them Commonwealth medallists - until she won Silver in Commonwealth Games.
- Sakshi says she wanted to run around the court with a flag wrapped around her after she took Silver in 2014 Commonwealth Games. She also reveals she wasn't able to do it there and thus completed her wish in Rio.
- 2015 was one of the most successful years in Sakshi's career. She won a Bronze in the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in Doha. She also booked her ticket to Rio by winning a Bronze in the Rio Olympics Qualifiers at Istanbul. She defeated Chinese Lan Zhang in the semi-final.
- Sakshi began 2016 by winning a bronze medal in the 60kg category of Spanish Grand Prix. She was confident that she would be able to win a medal before she flew to Rio. She even said she was prepared to carry the expectations of the country.
- Earlier today, Sakshi revealed she was motivated after she saw her compatriot Vinesh suffer a horrific accident in the 48kg freestyle wrestling quarters.
- Sakshi is all set to become richer by Rs 2.5 crores as the Haryana government has announced the prize money. She would also soon become a government employee.
ashish sharma @ashish30sharma 
Shiv Shakti
