Girls make India proud at 2016 Rio Olympics
What's the story
India sent its largest ever contingent of 117 athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics held in August 2016. The quest for a medal at the Olympics was ended by a wrestler and a shuttler, both girls. But there was another girl who made her name in the world stage. Let us look back at some fond memories of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Wrestling
Sakshi clinches bronze for India
23-year old Sakshi Malik pulled off a sensational 8-5 win after trailing 0-5 in the bronze medal match against Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in 58-kg wrestling match. With this win, she became India's first female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics. Malik was honoured with the 'Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award' just after the Olympics.
Badminton
Sindhu becomes youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal
Young shuttler Pusarla Venkata Sindhu won a silver medal in badminton to become the first woman from India to ever win a silver. The 21-year old also became the youngest ever Indian to win an Olympic medal. She was defeated by Spain's Carolina Marin in the finals of women's singles event in a hard-fought match which lasted 83 minutes.
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Dipa Karmakar narrowly misses a medal
India's first female gymnast to compete at the Olympics, Dipa Karmakar came extremely close to winning a medal in Women's Vault Gymnastics event. Finishing fourth, she became the fifth woman gymnast in the world to successfully perform 'Produnova', considered to be the hardest vault.
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Other notable achievements at the games
India's first and only individual gold medalist Abhinav Bindra narrowly missed his podium place after finishing fourth in the finals of men's 10m air rifle-event. Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna lost in the semi-finals of mixed doubles in tennis. Lalita Babar reached the finals of 3000m steeplechase to become the first Indian in 32 years to reach the finals of track-events. She finished 10th.