India’s Vinesh Phogat, on Tuesday, stunned the wrestling world as she marched into the final of the women’s 50kg event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Phogat, 29, beat Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-final to assure at least a silver medal for India.
Phogat kept things slow in the first period of play and continued to defend even in the second, before a passivity was awarded against her. Forced to win a point under 30 seconds, Phogat registered a takedown and a roll over as she won the match without conceding a point.
Phogat thus became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final of the Olympic Games. She now also has the opportunity to become the first Indian woman to win an Olympic gold when she takes on USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Phogat had defeated top seed Yui Susaki 3-2 in her opening round bout. She then beat Ukraine’s Oksana Lavich 7-5 in a hard fought quarter-final bout.
Here are some of the reactions to Phogat’s semi-final victory:
After all she has been through since the start of 2023, that smile...#VineshPhogat is in the final at #Paris2024 #Olympics #Wrestlinghttps://t.co/O0x926h2Sg pic.twitter.com/knvkvyK2PB
— Shahid Judge (@shahidthejudge) August 6, 2024
#Wrestling #Paris2024
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 6, 2024
One. Final. Hurdle. 🥇#VineshPhogat is in the women's 50kg final!
📷 AFPhttps://t.co/Dm8ELtcul2 pic.twitter.com/ewVdW8k9gV
#Wrestling #Paris2024
— Abhijit Nair (@Abhiee0312) August 6, 2024
VINESH PHOGAT, FIRST INDIAN WOMAN IN AN OLYMPIC FINAL❤️
She blanks Cuba 5-0 in the semi-finals to assure India a medal. Vinesh in tears, coach Woller Akos in tears, India in tears😭https://t.co/8NYy27eDqX pic.twitter.com/bfnD5vtPkp
#Wrestling #Olympics
— The Field (@thefield_in) August 6, 2024
VINESH PHOGAT HAS DONE IT! 🥹🔥
The Indian is into the final as she defeats Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman 5-0. What a campaign and what form from this legend.
She will now fight for gold tomorrow! 🥇
Blog: https://t.co/Dm8ELtbWvu pic.twitter.com/bPLmP37UqG
A torn ligament. A lower weight category. An unbeaten world champion. Nothing stands in her way. Can’t wait to cheer @Phogat_Vinesh as she goes for gold. Your resilience and strength inspire us all. What an inspiring day, here’s hoping for one more! 🌟🇮🇳 #Paris2024 #Wrestling… pic.twitter.com/3AZ56wKEEZ
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 6, 2024
Yet another page in the history of Abidjan Olympics…. Scripted by the amazing @Phogat_Vinesh. With heart of steel she advances towards Gold. I love her body language and the focus in her eyes. She walks as if she as a wrestling machine and shows emotions only after winning, till…
— Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) August 6, 2024
Bravo Vinesh!!! Brilliant stuff… #wrestling . Go for GOLD 🥇#Olympics
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) August 6, 2024
विनेश धाकड़ फोगाट। #wrestling
— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) August 6, 2024
Congratulation Vineesh!
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 6, 2024
Vinesh Phogat wins her Semi-final match in Wrestling and she will now compete for Gold.
Go for it Vineesh.
Great news to coincide with our first goal of the game.
Vinesh Phogat 👉 the 1st 🇮🇳 female wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics! 🤼♀️
— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) August 6, 2024
Take a bow! 💥#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/vExNIWgWps
Vinesh Phogat's stunning victory! #VineshPhogat #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/T0C7N6mmlj
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) August 6, 2024
17th Aug 2023 -ACL Surgery
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 6, 2024
25th Aug 2023 -Vinesh 29th Birthday. We made a promise to get her in best shape for Paris
6th Aug 2024-Vinesh becomes the first Indian female wrestler to reach the final of the Olympics
I know she is only aiming for🥇
Stuff of dreams 🇮🇳 @OGQ_India pic.twitter.com/g33EiJaYGf
First Time- Ever, an Indian Woman Wrestler in an Olympic Final!@Phogat_Vinesh has made history at the #ParisOlympics2024 with her exceptional performance in the Women’s Freestyle 50kg Wrestling semi-finals. She’s the first Indian female wrestler to secure a podium finish.
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 6, 2024
Her… pic.twitter.com/2luDRjouSV
The first Indian female wrestler to reach an #Olympics Final 🇮🇳
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) August 6, 2024
Let’s go for #GOLD, Vinesh! 🥇 pic.twitter.com/aDpQfmgnlR
विनेश ने इतिहास रच दिया है. विनेश महिला कुश्ती में ओलंपिक के फाइनल में पहुंचने वाली पहली भारतीय महिला पहलवान बन गई हैं.
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) August 6, 2024
आज सब भारतीयों की आंखों में आसूं हैं.
ये देश की बेटियां हैं, जिन्होंने हमेशा ही देश की शान बढ़ाई है. जिन लोगों ने हमेशा इन बेटियों की राह में कांटे बिछाए… pic.twitter.com/NJ8t4p4h0Y
#Wrestling #Olympics
— Samreen (@SamreenRazz) August 6, 2024
Heart is just so full for Vinesh Phogat. She now has the chance to go where no Indian woman has. 🥹🥇
But seriously, if not her, then who? The guts, the sense of justice, the personal history... let's friggggin' go. 🔥https://t.co/tlK2BIf1WH pic.twitter.com/XGlgQNbYfX
How many humans can recover from THIS and yet continue to chase the goal of being the absolute best version of themselves?
— Sucharita (@Su4ita) August 6, 2024
Women are something else pic.twitter.com/e3FKZJgRtb
The team doing incredible work behind the scenes with @Phogat_Vinesh
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) August 6, 2024
(Standing L-R) coach Woller Akos, Sports Scientist @waynelombard, physio Ashwini, S&C Mayank, me
Sitting - Vinesh with her 3 sparring partners.
Go for 🥇Vinesh. Keep fighting@OGQ_India 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/IgV0lInZB7
Vinesh Phogat 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/mdMiCvpZPY
— Premier League India (@PLforIndia) August 6, 2024
From being water cannoned by police to winning an Olympic medal
— Women Posting W's (@womenpostingws) August 6, 2024
Vinesh Phogat of India makes history by beating the undefeated (for 81 matches) world champion in wrestling, assuring her an Olympic medal
Last year, she was one of the wrestlers leading a protest against the WFI… pic.twitter.com/pDV7IuFBWk
It takes a village - Vinesh PHOGAT 🇮🇳 talking to her mother after becoming the first Indian to reach Olympic final in women’s wrestling#uww #wrestling #wrestleparis #olympics #paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Kh5SDCVR3T
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) August 6, 2024
Hang it in the Louvre! pic.twitter.com/9NnTSdVAVr
— Manas Singh (@menacesingh) August 6, 2024
Vinesh Vinesh Vinesh
— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) August 6, 2024
देश की शान 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
फाइनल में पहुँच कर रचा इतिहास
🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
True Champion 💪🙏
Olympic Silver Medal पक्का किया कल Gold Medal के लिए खेलेगी ✌️🙏🇮🇳
आज मेरे पिता का भी सपना पूरा हुआ बहुत ही भावुक करने वाले पल 😭🇮🇳🙏 @Phogat_Vinesh pic.twitter.com/Aty52c8HHv
ANOTHER MEDAL CONFIRMED 🥈🥇
— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) August 6, 2024
𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐭 take a bow!! 🙌🇮🇳 @Phogat_Vinesh 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 the 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥! Iconic!! 💥… pic.twitter.com/0P1osy1WAv
A broken Pistol, a broken ligament can’t stop these women to come back, fight and win a medals for our country! 🙌🇮🇳 #wrestling #vineshphogat #Paris2024 #shootingsport #womenpower #manubhaker pic.twitter.com/6s9tLJr1TY
— Joydeep Karmakar OLY (@Joydeep709) August 6, 2024
