Paris: Seasoned Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat entered her maiden Olympic semifinals in the 50kg category, beating Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the last-eight stage here on Tuesday. Two-time World Championships medallist wrestler Vinesh Phogat has seen enough in the last one-and-a-half-year. From being a star wrestler to being dragged on the roads in the national capital,
Vinesh witnessed moments that would define her career when she finally bids adieu. On Tuesday afternoon, she added yet another moment to her sparkling career when she registered an upset win over reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the opening round of the 50kg weight category at the Paris Games. Susaki, who has lost only thrice since 2010, was favourite when the lots were drawn on Monday but Vinesh surprised her by playing a defensive game that foiled all plans of the Japanese wrestler.
The Indian wrestler though conceded two points for the passivity and was trailing 0-2 for the majority of the bout, turned the game in her favour in the last minute to effect a takedown and win by a margin of 3-2. Japanese wrestler challenged the referee’s decision of awarding two points to Vinesh but after referral, it was turned down. Vinesh earned an extra point for the wrong referral.
While she adopted a defensive strategy in the first bout, she was at her attacking best in the next – quarterfinal against Oksana Livach of Ukraine. The 29-year-old wrestler from Haryana accumulated points in bulk forcing the opponent to play the chasing game. Even though the bout got close in the dying seconds of the second and the last period, Vinesh defended well to win 7-5 and enter her first semifinal at the Olympics in three attempts.
While Susaki is a reigning world champion and Olympic champion, Vinesh had to change her weight category from 53kg to 50kg as another Indian grappler Antim Panghal had already secured an Olympic quota in the former division. She competed in two weight categories in the selection trials winning the 50kg competition and finishing with bronze in the 53kg.
She was the face of the protest against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
It is not easy for any athlete to challenge a powerful administrator but Vinesh did that and had to face a lot of adversities while doing do. The wrestlers had accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment and the case is pending in the court in this regard.
Besides, the wrestler had suffered twin heartbreaks at the Olympics when she had to be stretchered out of the 2016 Rio Games due to an injury. She then lost her quarterfinal bout at the 2020 Tokyo Games to bow out of the competition. The win on Tuesday, however, will not only make her favourite in the 50kg but also give her a chance of redemption by winning an Olympic medal, the only medal missing from her trophy cabinet.
Vinesh had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympic appearances.
