olympics

Updated: Aug 18, 2016 09:05 IST

Sakshi Malik got India their first medal at Rio when she won her 58kg freestyle bout against A Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan. The bronze medal came in the repechage event after she had earlier been eliminated in the quarters.

She prevailed 8-5 in a late comeback defying the early 0-5 lead of her opponent.

“I was all along confident. I always felt I would win. I did not back down and kept pushing. This is historic for Indian women wrestlers,” said the elated 23-year-old after the win. “This is the result of over ten years of hard work. I feel proud and special that I could get this medal for India.”

Read | This is the result of over ten years of hard work: Sakshi Malik

Earlier in the day, shuttler Kidambi Srikanth went down fighting to China’s Lin Dan in the men’s singles quarterfinal. Srikanth lost 6-21, 21-11, 18-21 to the 2-time Olympic champion.

9.00 AM (IST): That’s it for the day’s action. Join us in the evening for PV Sindhu’s semifinal clash against Nozomi Okuhara (7.30 PM IST) and Babita Kumari’s bout against Greece’s Maria Prevolaraki (7.10 PM IST).

8:53 AM (IST): Brazil has moved into the semifinal of men’s volleyball after beating South American rivals Argenitina 25-22, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23.

Brianna Rollins reacts after winning 100m hurdles gold medal. (REUTERS Photo)

7:32 AM (IST): USA sweep women’s 100m hurdles. Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin win gold, silver and bronze.

7:06 AM (IST): Elaine Thompson makes it two-in-two, wins 200m women’s gold. World Champion Dafne Schippers finishes second.

Andre De Grasse and Usain Bolt in the heat. (NYT Photo)

6:55 AM (IST): Big shocker, Justin Gatlin and Yohan Blake are out of the reckoning.

6:40 AM (IST): Usain Bolt strolls into the 200m final.

6:34 AM (IST): LaShawn Merritt has sailed into the 200m final with a timing o f 19.94 seconds. Usain Bolt is next up

5:19 AM (IST): Earlier, wrestler Vinesh’s campaign was cut short by an injury.

4:34 AM (IST): From one Olympic medallist to another.

4:00 AM (IST): India Test cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin joins in.

#SakshiMalik has made India proud.Wrestling in India gets another big boost.#Rio2016 — Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) August 17, 2016

3:46 AM (IST): And some more.

Wowwwwww amazing amazinggggg #SakshiMalik

Take a bow 👏🏼👏🏼 — Gutta Jwala (@Guttajwala) August 17, 2016

3:30 AM (IST): Further congratulatory messages for Malik from fellow Olympians.

Thank you #SakshiMalik for our first medal of #Rio2016 campaign! We all salute your courage & determination! Stellar effort! #wrestling — Rupinder Pal Singh (@rupinderbob3) August 17, 2016

3:27 AM (IST): It’s wee hours but the celebrations can’t wait!

3:08 AM (IST): We know exactly how you feel, Heena!

What an elation in the middle of the night!! Difficult to sleep with so much adrenaline in my system after a nail biting match #SakshiMalik — Heena sidhu (@HeenaSidhu10) August 17, 2016

2:56 AM (IST): It was a remarkable display from Sakshi who was down 0-5.

Indian wrestling history at Rio as Sakshi.Malik claims the country's first.medal at Rio @HTSportsNews pic.twitter.com/1D1ugsYuqV — Sukhwant Basra (@SukhwantBasra) August 17, 2016

2:53 AM (IST): SHE HAS DONE IT! Sakshi Malik has won India’s first medal at Rio! Defeated Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan 8-5.

2:48 AM (IST): Strong comeback from Sakshi. It’s 4-3 now.

2:45 AM (IST): It is tough going for Sakshi who trails 0-5.

2:42 AM (IST): Sakshi Malik is in action in the 58kg bronze medal match!

2:20 AM (IST): Germany beat Nigeria 2-0 to set up clash with hosts Brazil. Surely we don’t need to remind you what happened the last time the two nations met in Brazil? The final begins Sunday, 2:00 AM (IST).

2:00 AM (IST): Sakshi certainly has the credentials. The 23-year-old won the Commonwealth Games silver in Glasgow two years back and won the bronze in Asian Championships 2015.

Sakshi Malik (second from left) won the Commonwealth Games silver in Glasgow, 2014. (Getty Images)

1:27 AM (IST): Boom! And just like that, we are back in business. Wrestler Sakshi Malik could earn India its first medal when she takes on Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in the 58kg bronze medal match. Action begins at 2:30 AM (IST)!

12-3 dominant win and now it's one more match to medal @HTSportsNews pic.twitter.com/Jrt4UfqSE0 — Sukhwant Basra (@SukhwantBasra) August 17, 2016

12:52 AM (IST): ICYMI, Brazil booked their final berth in some style.

12:45 AM (IST): In the second football semifinal, Germany have taken an early lead against Nigeria. Winner faces Brazil in Sunday’s final.

10.00 PM (IST): Sakshi Malik gets another chance in the repechage rounds, thanks to Koblova’s progress through to the final.

9.15 PM (IST): Sakshi Malik loses to Russia’s Valeria Zholobova Koblova 2-9 in the quarterfinals of the women’s 58kg freestyle event. Malik isn’t completely out yet, though. If Koblova goes on to the final, Malik will get a chance in the repechage rounds.

9.10 PM (IST): Sakshi Malik’s 58kg freestyle quarterfinal bout against Russia’s Valeria Zholobova Koblova begins. The Indian trails 1-0 after earning a 30-second time penalty for passivity.

8.40 PM (IST): This is an unfortunate end to Vinesh’s Rio campaign. The knee injury proves too much and Yanan is declared a winner 2-1 due to injury. The Indian is carried out of the arena on the stretcher in tears, unable to even straighten her knee.

8.36 PM (IST): Vinesh Phoga begins her quarterfinal bout against China’s Yanan Sun. Gets a point for passivity but gets her knee bent right after. It’s not looking good for the Indian here.

8.25 PM (IST): India’s Sakshi Malik defeats Mariana Esaru Cherdivara of Moldova to enter quarterfinals of women’s 58kg freestyle wrestling.

Sakshi Malik in action against Mariana Cherdivara-Esanu of Moldova. (REUTERS)

7.44 PM (IST): India’s Tintu Lukka finishes sixth in heat 3 of the women’s 800m, ruling out her chances of qualifying for the semis. The Indian started strong and held the lead until the start of the second lap, after which she began to fade and was overtaken by one runner after another. Lukka finished with 2:00.58.

7.19 PM (IST): India’s Vinesh Phogat defeats Alina Emilia Vuc of Romania 11-0 to enter the quarterfinals of the women’s 48kg freestyle event.

Vinesh Phogat tries to pin down Emilia Alina Vuc of Romania compete. (REUTERS)

7.05 PM (IST): Heroic effort by Srikanth but he falls short by two points. Loses to Lin Dan 6-21, 21-11, 21-18 in the singles quarterfinal. PV Sindhu thus remains India’s last hope for a badminton medal.

Srikanth put in a valiant effort against the two-time defending champion. (REUTERS)

7.00 PM (IST): Every time Srikanth gets within a point of levelling, Dan finds a way to pull ahead again. Leads 18-16 in the home stretch.

6.55 PM (IST): Lin Dan does well to claw back to 13-13 but a super smash by Srikanth gives the Indian the lead once again.

6.50 PM (IST): India’s Sakshi Malik is through to the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s 58 kg freestlyle wrestling, defeating Johanna Malin Mattsson of Sweden 5-4.

6.47 PM (IST): Srikanth not letting Dan settle, sowing plenty of doubt in the Chinese’ mind. The invincible Dan of the first game long gone now.

Srikanth reacts after winning a point. (REUTERS)

6.44 PM (IST): Srikanth does well to fight back, forcing some great defensive gets from Dan and winning at the net to level 7-7.

6.39 PM (IST): Things far more even in the deciding game. Dan coming up with an emphatic smash to lead 5-3.

6.35 PM (IST): Srikanth storms back to take the second game 21-11.

Srikanth celebrates with a fist pump. (REUTERS)

6.31 PM (IST): Srikanth four points from forcing a deciding game, leads 17-10.

6.29 PM (IST): Smart play by Srikanth sees him lead Dan 15-8. The Chinese, meanwhile, repeatedly asking for the court to be swabbed dry.

6.25 PM (IST): Srikanth goes into the break, leading Dan 11-5.

Lin Dan reacts after losing a point. (REUTERS)

6.22 PM (IST): Srikanth looking much better in this game, while Dan’s making more errors. 8-5 for the Indian.

6.18 PM (IST): Much better start for Srikanth in second game. Chat with coach Pullela Gopichand in the break appears to have helped. Leads 3-1.

Srikanth hits a smash. (REUTERS)

6.12 PM (IST): That’s it for the first game. Lin Dan wins it 21-6 over Srikanth.

Lin Dan was utterly dominant in the first game. (REUTERS)

6.10 PM (IST): Srikanth can do little with Dan playing at this level. Trails 19-6.

6.07 PM (IST): Long from Srikanth and he trails 4-15 now.

6.05 PM (IST): Srikanth finally stops the bleeding, trails 3-12.

6.03 PM (IST): No end to Srikanth’s struggles in sight. Trails 11-1 at the break in Game 1.

6.01 PM (IST): Srikanth appears to have little answer to Dan, hasn’t won a point since the first one. Trails 10-1.

6.00 PM (IST): Lin taking control of the early exchanges, five straight points and a netted smash from the Indian. The Chinese leads 6-1.

5.57 PM (IST): And we’re underway. Lin makes it 3-1 with a smash and a net error from Kidambi.

5.50 PM (IST): Kidambi Srikanth and Lin Dan walk out on court for their quarterfinal, shake hands before beginning their warm-up.

5.47 PM (IST): Chong Wei Lee wraps up the win 21-9, 21-15. He faces the winner between India’s Kidambi Srikanth and China's Lin Dan, which is up next.

Chong Wei Lee hits a smash. (REUTERS)

5.40 PM (IST): Chong Wei Lee is up a game and 19-14 on his Chinese opponent. Surely there’s no coming back now for Tien Chou.

Chou Tien Chen lunges to stay alive in a rally. (REUTERS)

5.25 PM (IST): Malaysia’s Chong Wei Lee takes first game 21-9 against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Tien Chou in the singles QF. India’s Kidambi Srikanth takes on China’s Lin Dan next.