Sakshi Malik has given India their first medal at the Rio Olympics!
That’s right, the 58kg wrestler has used the repechage to her advantage and won the bronze medal match after beating Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan.
Having earned a reputation of coming from behind to snatch victory, Sakshi once again stayed back at the start of the bout. She was trailing 5-0 at the end of the first period and there were a few crossed fingers in the arena, and back home in India.
However, the spunky 23-year-old then stepped up in the second, bagging eight points on the trot to beat her opponent and also snatch India’s first-ever Olympic medal in women’s wrestling.
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Period One
At the start of the bout, Aisuluu tried to force the early initiative with an attempted leg hold but Sakshi defended successfully. The Kyrgyz grappler displayed impressive strength and was more active in the opening stages which forced Sakshi to go on the defensive.
However, the referee invoked the passivity rule against Sakshi which handed the Kyrgyz the first point.
Aisuluu then made a successful takedown to bag another two points and then continued to pile on the pressure and picked another couple of points with a successful tackle to build up a healthy 5-0 lead at the break.
Period Two
Against the run of play, but very much of cue with her earlier performances, Sakshi made a superb comeback in the second round, turning a defensive position into offensive to bag two points before flipping the Kyrgyz to bag another couple of points.
With the momentum firmly behind her, Sakshi continued to pile on the pressure before drawing level with another two-pointer.
5-4 with Sakshi trailing.
But with just seconds remaining in the bout, the Indian pulled off another takedown to take the lead and make sure she created history.
Only the fourth Indian woman ever to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleswari, Saina Nehwal and MC Mary Kom.
Watch Sakshi in an earlier conversation with The Quint, confident of a medal at Rio.
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