Rio 2016: Sakshi Malik, the female wrestler who got India's first medal

India"s Sakshi Malik celebrates after winning against Kirghyzstan"s Aisuluu Tynybekova in their women"s 58kg freestyle bronze medal match on August 17, 2016, — Image captionThe 23-year-old became the fourth Indian woman to have ever won an Olympic medal

Female wrestler Sakshi Malik has delivered India its first medal of the 2016 Rio Games, sending a nation into ecstasy. But her journey to the Olympic podium has not been easy.

After a gritty performance at the 58kg women's wrestling category she won bronze, becoming the first Indian female wrestler and the fourth Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

"I never thought I would become the first woman wrestler from India to bag an Olympic medal in wrestling," she told news outlet The Hindu. "I hope the remaining wrestlers will also do well."

Struggle to the top

She was born in India's Haryana state, where women were for some time not allowed to take part in wrestling events.

The 23-year-old started training young, having gained support from her parents to pursue the sport. Media reports say locals initially berated her parents, telling them that their daughter would become undesirable to potential suitors.

But she went on to earn a silver medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and walked away with the bronze at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Thursday's bronze medal, was a "result of 12 years of dedication", she said. "I never gave up to the end. In the last round, I had to give my maximum, I had the self belief," she said.

A woman wrestling in one of India's most conservative states

Image copyrightAFP

She comes from the district of Rohtak, which gained notoriety in 2014, after two sisters fought back against a group of men who accosted them on a public bus. The state of Haryana is also known for having the most severe gender imbalance in India a sign, campaigners say, of high levels of female foeticide.

Women's wrestling really took off in India in the mid-1990s. But it was not until 2002 when girls were allowed to train with boys in Haryana.

Now all three of India's female wrestlers at the Olympics, a record for the country in any case, are believed to come from that state.

Image captionIt wasn't until 2002 when girls were allowed to train with boys in Hayana

Ishwar Singh Dahiya, who coached Malik, and is among those credited for the success of women's wrestling in India has said that women have now "put Rohtak on the world wrestling map".

"Girls once not welcome at the Chotu Ram Stadium have now become its pride," Mr Dahiya told the Hindustan Times in 2015, the year after he retired as district sports officer.

'Dreams into reality'

Joy has swept Indian social media in the hours since her win.

Image caption"Sakshi proved women are not weak and in need of protection", said one user on Twitter

Having been dealt a series of disappointments at Rio, India had yet to win a single medal until Malik took to the stage.

"Indian dreams have turned into reality," said one user on Twitter.

"Look at the way Sakshi rescued the Indian tally. She did what brothers couldn't do," said Yashwant Deshmukh, a political analyst.

"Sakshi proved women are not weak and in need of protection," another user chipped in.

Image captionIndia's prime minister also chipped in, offering his congratulations

India's prime minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Ms Malik for her win, calling her a "daughter of India".

Her mother told local media she asked her daughter if she was tired after her win, to which she replied: "Nobody feels tired after winning a medal for (their) country".

The manoeuvres that got her medal

The 23-year-old beat Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynybekova to clinch the bronze medal. Ms Malik fought back from a 0-5 down to seal the final 8-5 result in her favour.