Chandigarh: Praising freestyle wrestler Sakshi Malik for wining bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said it is a matter of pride for the entire nation and expressed hope that the Indian contingent would bring home more laurels in the coming days.
Khattar told ANI it is a matter of happiness that India’s daughter Sakshi Malik has won a medal for the country on the auspicious occasion of ‘Raksha Bandhan’.
“I congratulate her and her family. It is a very proud moment for Haryana…We are hopeful that we will win more medals,” he added.
The Haryana Government has announced a reward of Rs. 2.5 crores and a government job for Sakshi.
With the win, 23-year-old Sakshi became the fourth Indian woman athlete to win an Olympic medal after Karnam Malleshwari, Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal.
After going down 2-9 against Russia’s Valeriia Koblova in the quarter-finals, Sakshi received another chance at a medal via repechage and made full use of the second life by outplaying Mongolian wrestler Orkhon Purevdorj 12-3 to advance to the bronze-medal match.
She also became the fourth Indian wrestler to win a medal in Olympics after Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. (ANI)