Paris Olympics 2024: Vinesh Phogat reaches finals in women’s 50kg freestyle; confirms medal for India
Paris Olympics 2024: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has made it to the finals of the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024 after a decisive victory over Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman. With a 5-0 win, Vinesh Phogat has assured India of a medal in the ongoing Olympic Games.
She initially led 1-0 at the end of the first period due to Guzman conceding a point for passivity. Vinesh then expanded her lead to 5-0 in the second period and maintained this advantage to defeat the Pan American Games champion within the six-minute bout.
Vinesh Phogat is the first Indian woman to guarantee a medal in wrestling at the Olympics. Earlier in the competition, she became the first Indian woman to advance to the semifinals in wrestling at the Games. This feat surpasses Sakshi Malik’s bronze medal win at the 2016 Rio Games, which came via a repechage after a quarterfinal loss.
Vinesh’s journey to the finals included a stunning victory over reigning Olympic and four-time world champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16. Susaki, who had never lost in an international event with 82 consecutive wins, was defeated by Vinesh 3-2 after she executed a tactical attack in the dying seconds of the bout, despite trailing 0-2.
In the quarterfinals, Vinesh Phogat defeated Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the semifinals. She had to defend fiercely in the final moments to secure her place in the semis.
Vinesh Phogat will compete against USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt for the gold medal. Hildebrandt reached the final by defeating Mongolia’s Dolgorjavyn Otgonjargal in the other semifinal match.
A challenging journey
Vinesh’s journey to the Olympics has been challenging. Last year, she protested against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Additionally, she switched weight categories from 53kg to 50kg and dealt with a knee injury that kept her out of the Asian Games 2023. Now, with the final match in sight, Vinesh has the opportunity to make history as the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal.