Wrestler Sakshi Malik lifted the gloom and P.V.
Wrestler Sakshi Malik lifted the gloom and P.V. Sindhu raised golden hopes as India’s two daughters ended the long wait for cheer and relief in equal measure, as India finally opened its medal account in the Rio Olympics.
After 12 days of heartbreak and despair, India woke up on Thursday to the news of Sakshi clinching a bronze medal — a first by an Indian woman wrestler in the Olympics — in the 58kg category. The evening had more in store as badminton star Sindhu demolished Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-19, 21-10 in the badminton semi-final in the evening.
In Friday’s final, Sindhu faces Spain’s Carolina Marin and has assured India of the best finish in badminton at the Olympics, after Saina Nehwal’s bronze from the London Games in 2012.
On Thursday night, it was victory on many fronts as Sakshi beat Kyrgyzstan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova 8-5.
“I know my life has changed now,” said the 23-year-old who hails from Mokhra village near Rohtak. “This medal is for everyone in my country. This medal belongs to you, whoever it is... I will say, see ‘I have made it’.”
Back home, her parents — who fought the odds and many questions since the day their 12-year-old daughter decided to take up wrestling — celebrated till early into the morning, and urged parents to let their daughters follow their dreams. It was a shared victory — it was the victory of a girl born in a state with the worst sex ratio in the country and is known for female foeticide.
Sakshi’s mother Sudesh said, “There were many people who used to tell me that she is a girl and we should not let her pursue wrestling, but I supported her. To all those people who feel daughters cannot do well, I will only say, see her and get motivated to take up sport.”
The Twitter world too was buzzing all on Wednesday night and all day Thursday, sharing the good news, and extending congratulations.
Former cricketer Virender Sehwag praised the young medallist, saying “SakshiMalik is a reminder of what can happn if u don’t kill a girl child. When d going gets tough, its our girls who get going & save our pride.”
He then added, tongue-in-cheek, “#SakshiMalik ke gale me medal kitna ‘Sobha De’ raha hai na !!!”
