Paris Olympics 2024: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat wins in 50kg freestyle semis, assures a gold or silver for India
India wrestler Vinesh Phogat (@TheKhelIndia) Photograph:( X )
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Earlier, in the day Phogat stormed into the semi-final of 50kg freestyle with two sensational wins in Round of 16 and Round of 8 at the ongoing Paris Games 2024.
Earlier, in the day Phogat stormed into the semi-final of 50kg freestyle with two sensational wins in Round of 16 and Round of 8 at the ongoing Paris Games 2024.
India wrestler Vinesh Phogat beat Cuba's Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the women's 50kg freestyle semi-final on Tuesday (Aug 6) at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. With the win, Vinesh entered the final and assured a gold or silver medal for India.
Vinesh is the first woman wrestler from India to enter a gold medal bout in the Olympics and only the second woman who will win a medal. Before her, Sakshi Malik had won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The other athletes to win a wrestling medal for India at the Olympics are KD Jadhav (bronze in 1952 Helsinki), Sushil Kumar (bronze in 2008 Beijing and silver in 2012 London), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze in 2012 London), Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver in 2020 Tokyo) and Bajrang Punia (bronze in 2020 Tokyo).
Earlier, in the day Phogat stormed into the semi-final of 50kg freestyle with two sensational wins in the Round of 16 and Round of 8 at the ongoing Paris Games 2024.
Phogat first recorded one of the biggest upsets in women's wrestling by beating Japan's Yui Susaki who had an international record of 82-0 before the loss in R16. Phogat beat Sasuki 3-2 to advance to the Round of 8.
In the next bout, Phogat beat Ukraine's Oksana Livach 5-4 to enter the semis. She'll play in the final four rounds later tonight.
It is to be noted that Phogat was one of the faces of the wrestlers' protest in India against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh for alleged sexual harassment.
Among other protesting wrestlers were Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik - both previous Olympic medal winners.
Reacting to Phogat's wins, Punia wrote on X: "Vinesh Phogat is the lioness of India who won back to back matches today. Defeated 4-time World Champion and defending Olympic champion. After that she defeated the former World Champion in the quarterfinals. But let me tell you one thing, This girl was kicked and crushed in her own country. This girl was dragged on the streets in her country .This girl is going to conquer the world but she lost to the system in this country."
Vinesh will compete for gold on Paris Olympics Day 12, that is, Wednesday (Aug 7) from 9:45 pm onwards.
