Vinesh Phogat Advances to SFs in Women’s 50kg Freestyle

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has secured a spot in the semifinals of the women’s 50 kg freestyle category at the ongoing Paris Olympics after a hard-fought victory over Ukraine’s Oksana Livach on Tuesday.

Phogat triumphed over Oksana with a score of 7-5, putting her just one win away from a confirmed medal. Reflecting on her performance, Vinesh said, “It was a tough match, but I stayed focused and executed my strategy well.”

In the quarterfinals, Vinesh took an early 2-0 lead in the first period. Despite a strong fightback from Oksana in the second period, Vinesh, a World Championships medalist, held her ground to secure her place in the semifinals. Her next opponent will be either Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, a Pan American Games champion, or Gabija Dilyte of Lithuania, with the semifinals starting at 10:25 PM IST.

Vinesh’s impressive run at the Paris Olympics began with a stunning victory over top seed and Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16. Despite trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period, Vinesh staged a brilliant comeback in the second period, outclassing her Japanese opponent to win 3-2.

Meanwhile, Nisha Dahiya’s campaign at the Paris Olympics ended in the quarterfinals of the women’s 68 kg competition. Dahiya lost 8-10 to North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum. Despite leading 8-2 at one point, an injury and subsequent medical timeouts hindered her performance, allowing Sol Gum to mount a successful comeback.

In her round of 16 match, Nisha defeated Tetiana Sova 6-4 at the Champs de Mars Arena, marking a commendable debut at the Olympics despite her quarterfinal exit.

As the semifinals approach, Indian wrestling fans eagerly await Vinesh Phogat’s next match, hoping she can continue her journey and secure a medal for the country.