Sakshi Malik reveals she started wrestling so that she could sit on an airplane one day
Indian female wrestler Sakshi Malik recently appeared on badminton star PV Sindhu's new show titled 'The A-Game by PV Sindhu.' The Haryana-based Olympic medalist disclosed that she did not have a big target when she started wrestling. Her primary aim was to sit on an airplane one day.
During the brief interview, Sakshi Malik revealed that her seniors had got a chance to travel via the aerial route after performing well as a wrestler. Thus, she also took up the sport which eventually led to her becoming a champion.
"At first, I started with the interest of sitting in an aeroplane because my seniors had told me that if you secure the first position, you get a chance to sit in an aeroplane. Slowly and gradually, I learned that Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Olympics are the biggest stages for an athlete, and every athlete's dream is to win a medal at the Olympics. So then I worked really hard day and night towards it," said Sakshi Malik.
Sakshi Malik is looking to secure her 2021 Tokyo Olympics berth and better her performance at the event
Sakshi Malik has been extremely successful on the wrestling mat during the last eight to nine years. She had won the Asian Junior Championships in 2012, while in 2014, Malik won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Two years later, the Rohtak-based wrestler made history by winning a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics. She became the first Indian female wrestler to achieve this feat. Although Sakshi Malik got into wrestling to fulfill a much simpler dream, her hard work and dedication helped her become one of the top wrestlers globally.
After a short break from wrestling because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2017 Commonwealth Championships gold medalist will strive to secure her 2021 Tokyo Olympics berth soon and better her previous performance at the grand event.