Sakshi Malik Becomes The First Indian Woman To Win An Olympic Medal In Wrestling
India’s Sakshi Malik became the first woman in the country’s history to win an Olympic medal in wrestling when she defeated Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday to claim bronze in the women’s freestyle 58-kilogram competition.
Malik is now the fourth Indian woman to win a medal in Olympics history. She also has India’s only medal so far at the 2016 games in Rio.
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“I never thought I would become the first woman wrestler from India to bag an Olympic medal in wrestling,” she told The Hindu newspaper. “I hope the remaining wrestlers will also do well.”
Malik and her family faced resistance from their community in India when she first started wrestling, according to the BBC. Women in Malik’s home state of Haryana had long not been allowed to participate in the sport.
Now, her father, Sukhvir Malik, says people are celebrating outside the family’s house.
