On Tuesday, the 11th day of the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh Phogat inspired millions of young wrestlers by becoming India’s first woman wrestler to reach the Olympic final. Ensuring that the country advances in the medal standings by earning at least a silver medal. From the beginning, Vinesh controlled the game, keeping her opponent from scoring any points or outplaying her at any point.
Vinesh made history earlier in the day at the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris when she defeated the reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan to win all three of her fights in the women’s 50kg division. Vinesh made history by defeating the Tokyo gold medallist 3-2 and snapping Susaki’s 82-match winning streak.
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Vinesh Phogat makes it to the final
Vinesh Phogat is now all set for her final bout in the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday, August 7. The 29-year-old wrestler has a golden chance to secure a gold medal when she steps out on the wrestling mat for the final of the women’s 50kg category against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States (USA).
If she finishes on top of the podium, she will be the first-ever Indian wrestler to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling. She will just be the second Indian woman to earn an Olympic wrestling medal, after Sakshi Malik, even if she only takes home the silver. So far, India has won a total of 7 Olympic medals in wrestling, 5 of which are bronze and 2 are silver.
Mahavir Phogat wishes niece Vinesh for classic victory
When his niece advanced to the 50kg wrestling finals, coach Mahavir Singh Phogat was ecstatic. He described Vinesh’s triumph in Tuesday’s semi-finals as a “tight punch in the face” for her detractors and skeptics. He went on to say that it would be historic for the nation’s wrestlers both on and off the wrestling mat if she were to win gold.
Isn’t it interesting that months before her journey to the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh faced intense challenges? Her struggles include police detention in Delhi during the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan.
Vinesh Phogat: The Fighter
After missing out on her opportunity to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Vinesh made a stronger comeback by defeating Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Yui Susaki. She suffered a knee injury after her opponent, which led to her tragic withdrawal from the 2016 Rio Olympics.
During the women’s 48kg division, Sun Yanan of China pinned her in an awkward position. Additionally, she suffered a defeat in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, losing to Bulgarian wrestler Vanesa Kadochnikova in the 53kg division. Vinesh’s qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics finals in Paris is an important victory for the top-seeded wrestler.