Vinesh Phogat was not the favourite in the women's 50kg freestyle category. Not because she was yet to prove her worth on the biggest stage, despite being India's most accomplished woman wrestler, with two World Championships, three CWG and eight Asian Championships medals. But because she was up against world No. 1 and reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki in her opener at the Paris Olympics 2024. The general prediction was that while Susaki would continue her unbeaten run at the Games, Vinesh would make the most of the repechage round to clinch the bronze.

But Vinesh did not just leave Susaki shell-shocked, and those thousands glued to their respective viewing sets astounded with a stunning 3-2 win in the opening tie, she scripted a rather comfortable run to the final on Tuesday to become the first Indian woman who will fight for the Olympic gold in wrestling. But what drove Vinesh to script that spectacular run on Day 11 of the Paris Games was not the urge to prove herself after what she went through since the Tokyo Olympics, especially in the last few months; she was rather fighting for a larger cause.

In 2021, at the Tokyo Games, Vinesh suffered a crushing defeat 'by fall' in the quarterfinals of the 53kg category. She was later accused of misconduct and suspended by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for several alleged transgressions. The off-field turmoil led her to consider quitting the sport. But Vinesh fought back and later waged a war against the WFI chief, accusing him of sexual misconduct. The long battle continues in the courts, but it lost steam. It subsequently hurt Vinesh as she failed to make the Paris cut in the 53kg category after failing to participate in the World Championships, with Antim Panghal locked in that quota. The 29-year-old later dropped to the 50kg category to qualify for the Games for the third straight time.

On Tuesday, Vinesh stunned Susaki during the dying moments of their pre-quarterfinal bout, handing the defending champion her first defeat in 83 bouts, and then made an absolute mockery of 2018 European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine in the quarters. Later in the day, she displayed her tactical acumen, yet again, to beat Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba 5-0 in the semifinals to be assured of at least a silver in her third Olympic outing.

But the medal is unlikely to represent her prowess on the mat, but more a fight "for the future generation of wrestlers," is what Vinesh told Bajrang Punia, who supported her through those 18 months in the protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Speaking to ESPN, Punia, bronze medallist at the Tokyo Games, said: "She told me "I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself, my career is done and this is my last Olympics. I want to fight for the young women wrestlers who will come and fight for them so that they can wrestle safely. That's why I was in Jantar Mantar, and that's why I am here."

Vinesh will take on American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the gold-medal match on Wednesday.

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