'Hoping for one more!' - Twitter reacts as Vinesh Phogat creates history at Paris Olympics 2024
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Vinesh Phogat has become the first female Indian wrestler to reach the final.
Indian fans expressed their delight after Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat confirmed her place in the women’s freestyle 50kg category final at Paris Olympics 2024.
Vinesh Phogat, who suffered a career-threatening injury during the 2016 Rio Olympics, has become the first female Indian wrestler to reach the final of the sporting megafest.
The 29-year-old started her campaign in the French capital with a breathtaking victory over defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki. Vinesh was trailing by two points throughout the match; however, she managed to turn the fortunes in the last five seconds and seal a 3-2 victory over Susaki.
The Japanese grappler had a professional record of 82 victories and zero losses before she lost against Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday. In the second round, Vinesh faced eighth seed Oksana Livach of Ukraine, who won her first bout via technical superiority. However, the Ukrainian failed to overcome the challenge presented by Vinesh and fell by two points, losing the match 7-5.
Later in the day, the 29-year-old Indian grappler returned to face Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzmán, the defending Pan American champion in the women’s freestyle 50 kg category. The first round of the semi-final was full of defensive moves and calculated play by both grapplers. Additionally, Vinesh also made a point because of Guzmán’s passivity.
However, the scenario changed in the second round when Vinesh Phogat was given 30 seconds to take a point after warnings of passivity. The Indian wrestler launched a leg attack on the Pan-American champion and managed to seize four crucial points with her tight grasp.
She later kept the lead and stormed into the finals of the women’s freestyle 50 kg category. After the 5-0 victory, Vinesh got emotional as she scripted history at the sporting megafest for India. In the final, she will face the United States’s Sarah Hildebrandt, who took down Mongolia’s Dolgorjavyn Otgonjargal with an identical 5-0 scoreline.
As soon as the Indian grappler reached the final, social media was flooded with messages and reactions brimming with admiration for Vinesh.
Beijing Games gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, Tokyo Games bronze medalist Bajrang Punia, and former field hockey captain Viren Rasquinha were among the big names who congratulated Vinesh Phogat for the massive triumph.
Vinesh’s sister Sangeeta Phogal also penned a message. In addition to that, Rio Games bronze medalist Sakshi Malik also came forward to congratulate Vinesh.
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