Indian wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat delivered a remarkable performance in her maiden bout of the Paris Olympics 2024 campaign. She defeated top seed and Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the women’s 50kg freestyle round of 16. Despite Susaki leading 2-0 until the dying seconds, Vinesh produced a dramatic turnaround, leaving her opponent stunned with a 3-2 victory. Susaki’s review of Vinesh’s final move was ruled in the Indian’s favor by the referees.
THE BIGGEST MOMENT OF PARIS OLYMPICS. 🤯
---Advertisement---– Vinesh Phogat stuns reigning Gold Medalist and No.1 seed. 🇮🇳🏅 pic.twitter.com/x1FK3WeaBr
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 6, 2024
---Advertisement---
Quarterfinals Ahead
Vinesh, initially not considered the favorite, was expected by many to possibly secure a bronze medal after an assumed early loss. However, she arguably produced the best fight of her career, defeating the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist. In the quarterfinals, she will face Ukraine’s Oksana Livach, the 2019 European Champion.
𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍! 🤯
Vinesh Phogat of 🇮🇳 overcomes reigning Olympic gold medalist Yui Susaki of 🇯🇵 in the women’s freestyle 50kg wrestling Round of 16! 🔥#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/vOdCANA9ST
— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) August 6, 2024
Vinesh’s Opponent
Yui Susaki is a formidable opponent, being not only the defending champion but also a three-time world champion in the 50kg freestyle category and the current Asian level champion.
Nisha Dahiya’s Campaign
Nisha Dahiya’s Paris Olympics campaign ended in the quarterfinals of the women’s 68kg competition on Monday. She succumbed to North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum with a narrow 8-10 loss. Despite leading 8-2 at one point, Nisha faced an injury that required medical timeouts, allowing Sol Gum to stage a comeback. In the round of 16, Nisha had defeated Tetiana Sova by 6-4 at the Champs de Mars Arena, showcasing a strong second-round performance.
Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Javelin Champion Neeraj Chopra Qualifies For Finals
Indian Wrestling Team at Paris Olympics
A total of six Indian wrestlers are competing at the Paris Olympics from August 5 to 11. Two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat is competing in the women’s 50kg category, having previously competed in the 48kg category at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the 53kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
This stunning performance by Vinesh Phogat and the efforts of other Indian wrestlers highlight the resilience and determination of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics.
