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India’s Vinesh Phogat qualified for the semis after a 7-5 win against Okasana Livach in the quarterfinal of the women’s 50kg wrestling category at the Paris Olympics 2024. Phogat created history by defeating Japan’s defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki in their opening bout. Before Phogat, Indian wrestler Nisha Dahiya suffered a heartbreaking loss in the 68kg category yesterday on August 5.
In the quarterfinal fight of the women’s 50kg against Okasana Livach, Vinesh Phogat started on an intense note as both wrestlers maintained incredible assertiveness before the Indian took the first points to take a 2-0 lead with a takedown. The 29-year-old Indian maintained her lead at the three-minute break before inflicting another takedown to take a 4-0 advantage.
In the final two minutes, the Ukrainian took two points as she closed down on a takedown but Phogat held her own to take her lead to 5-2. In the final minute, Livach got to four points which the 29-year-old Indian unsuccessfully challenged. Then in the final 20 seconds of the bout, Vinesh Phogat took two more points to take a 7-4 lead and before Livach took her fifth point but the Indian held her own to register the win.
In her opening bout, the 29-year-old lost a couple of passivity points and trailed 0-2 for the majority of the clash before pulling off a stunning takedown within the final 20 seconds to stun Susaki. Vinesh was in a race against time to get on the board but clinched the late takedown to eliminate Susaki a gold medal.
Before Phogat, Indian wrestler Nisha Dahiya was ruled out of the 2024 Paris Olympics with a severe shoulder injury during her women’s 68kg event against North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum on Monday, August 5. Dahiya suffered a heart-breaking defeat against her North Korean opponent by an 8-10 margin. However, the Indian was forced to end her campaign at the Summer Games after sustaining a severe injury which caused her to take several medical timeouts.
