Sakshi Malik, along with Vinesh Phogat, kept India's medal hopes alive in women's freestyle wrestling as both Indian grapplers entered the quarter-finals in their respective categories in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Sakshi, who wrestled in the pre-quarterfinals, defeated Malin Johanna Mattsson of Finland 5-4 to advance to the quarter-finals in the 58ky freestyle wrestling category. In the quarter-final, she faced up to Esanu Cherdivara of Molodva and won a tight match to enter the quarter-finals.
In the 48kg freestyle category, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat defeated Romania's Alina Emilia to enter the quarter-finals where she took China's Sun Yunan. However, Vinesh suffered a knee injury and had to concede her match to Sun after she was trailing 1-2 in the first half.
After much deliberation, the referee awarded the match to the Chinese grappler while Vinesh was stretchered out.