Agencies
Rio de Janeiro, August 18: Gritty woman wrestler Sakshi Malik ended India’s painful wait for a medal at the Rio Olympic Games by clinching the bronze in the 58kg category, pulling off a sensational 8-5 victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in the bronze medal play-off bout, here Wednesday. The 23-year-old earned a dramatic win after falling behind 0-5 in the first round.
Like in three of the four other bouts earlier in the day, Sakshi won the crucial bout after coming from behind. She had lost 2-9 in the quarterfinals to Russia’s Valeriia Koblova in the fifth bout of the day before getting a second chance in repechage when her conqueror reached the final.
Sakshi turned the tables on the Kyrgyzstan wrestler in the dying seconds of the bout as Tynybekova was in complete command in most part of the clash.
In the first round, Tynybekova implemented a leg-hold grabbed Sakshi’s leg and quickly earned two points before adding one more for the Indian’s passivity. She repeated the leg move again to go up 5-0 and bronze looked a distant proposition then.
But she met a different Sakshi in round 2. Shastri threw down her rival to make it 2-5, then flipped the Kyrgyzstan wrestler to narrow the score to 4-5. She took her opponent down again to make it 5-all and then with around 16 seconds left on the clock she flipped over Tynybekova to get three points and build up an unbeatable 8-5 lead.
Sakshi had earlier stormed into the bronze medal play-off round with a dominating performance in her repechage round, where she thrashed Purevdorjiin Orkhon of Mongolia 12-3.
As Sakshi had reached the quarterfinals, she needed to fight only one repechage round as compared to the other two opponents of the Russian girl, whom she had beaten in the earlier two rounds – pre-quarters and qualification.
Koblova had beaten Luisa Niemesch of Germany in the qualification round before defeating Orkhon in the pre-quarterfinals. Therefore, in the first repechage round, these two grapplers from Germany and Mongolia faced each other. And the winner of that bout (Mongolian girl) then took on Sakshi in repechage round 2.
Earlier in the day, Sakshi came back from behind to register impressive wins. She was down 0-4 against Sweden’s Malin Johanna Mattsson, but won 5-4 in the qualification round.
In the pre-quarters, she once again eked out a narrow 5-5 technical win over Mariana Cherdivara Esanu of Republic of Moldova. The bout ended 5-all, but the Indian was awarded the verdict because of a superior technical throw.
Women power to the fore
After ending India’s agonising wait for an Olympic medal at the Rio Games here with a bronze medal, wrestler Sakshi Malik said Wednesday it was the result of her 12 years of persistent hard work.
“Meri 12 saal ki tapasya rang layi (It’s the result of my 12 years’ fight for day and night). Geeta didi, my senior had qualified for the first time in London,” Sakshi said, with her eyes brimming with tears of joy.
“I never thought I would become the first woman wrestler from India to bag an Olympic medal. I hope the remaining wrestlers will also do well,” added the 23-year-old from Mokhra village in Rohtak district of Haryana, a silver medallist at the 2014 Glasgow CWG and bronze winner at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
When asked what went through her mind after she fell behind 0-5 in the first round of her bronze medal play-off bout, Sakshi stated that she never lost hope.
“I never gave up. I knew if I lasted six minutes, I had the ability to win. I had self belief. I knew that in the second round, I will have to give my best, which I did,” stated the wrestler.
Sakshi who had lost 2-9 in the quarterfinals to Russia’s Valeriia Koblova in the fifth bout of the day before getting a second chance informed that the wait was very painful.
“It was an agonising two-three hours wait for me. But when the news came that I had a second chance, I was determined to make use of it. I am happy that I could live up to the expectation of my country,” said the shy, simple girl.
Sakshi, who qualified through second Olympic Games World Qualifying Tournament in Istanbul, battled social biases and sexism to learn wrestling. She took up the sport when she was just nine years old.
“I am happy that today, my name will be said alongside Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. I am thankful to them because they gave wrestling the right impetus. I would crave to watch them train and fight,” Sakshi added.
‘Our daughter is an inspiration for others’
Brimming with pride at their daughter’s historic achievement at the Rio Olympics, wrestler Sakshi Malik’s parents urged all fathers to encourage their daughters, who want to take up sports.
“Parents’ support is very necessary and we have tried to give that to her in every way. When she won medals in Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships, people who in the beginning used to criticise us came up to us and said your thoughts were very nice then,” a proud father Subir Malik said Thursday.
“I would like other girls to take inspiration from her, enter sports and do wonders. To all fathers who feel that their daughters should not enter sports, Sakshi should be an example.
“Her grandfather was also a wrestler. She saw him and got motivated to enter this field. She never regretted her decision till date. After winning she told me that I fulfilled your wish and got the medal for the country, I was in tears. I want her to play at the Tokyo Olympics and win gold there,” he added.
Sakshi’s mother Sudesh Malik echoed similar sentiments. “There were many people who criticised us for letting her wrestle. When she started getting medals people stopped speaking,” she informed.
“Her determination paid off. I want to see her winning a gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and we will give her all the support she needs,” added the beaming mother.
