Vinesh Phogat has done it. Wrestling her third match of the day, the 29-year-old wrestler assured India its fourth medal of the Paris Olympics 2024 – and the best of the Games so far, getting assured of a historic silver medal at least by beating Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba 5-0 in the women's 50 kg freestyle wrestling semifinal. Historic, because no other Indian female wrestler in the past has won anything other than a bronze – the last being Sakshi Malik at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Phogat however is not done. She has the opportunity to now gun for the top prize, which if achieved, will make her the first ever Indian wrestler to win a gold at the Olympics.

Both wrestlers started off watchfully, cautiously engaging and each trying to gauge the other's strategy. Vinesh adopted a patient approach reminiscent of her tactics against the formidable Yui Susaki of Japan, but soon found herself in a precarious position as Lopez secured a leg lock. Despite this, Lopez's defence proved solid, and after one and a half minutes, neither wrestler had gained an advantage.

As the bout progressed, Lopez received a passivity warning, followed by a passivity clock. When the clock expired, Vinesh took a slim 1-0 lead with just a minute remaining in the first round. Lopez made a determined effort to seize Vinesh's right leg, but Vinesh's fierce defence thwarted the attempt, forcing a break in the hold. Although Vinesh was subsequently warned for passivity, she managed to maintain her slender 1-0 advantage.

In the second round, Vinesh initiated an attack on Lopez's right leg but failed to capitalise, resulting in her own passivity clock starting. With only 30 seconds to make a move, the pressure was mounting. Then, in a stunning turn of events, Vinesh powerfully flipping Lopez over and earning two points. This move propelled her to a commanding five-point lead. After a minute and a half, Vinesh had cemented her place in the annals of Indian wrestling greats, guaranteeing the country's best medal finish of the Paris 2024 Games.

Earlier in the day, Vinesh created waves at the Paris Games by executing a flawless strategy to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Susaki, advancing to the women's 50kg semifinal and edging closer to an Olympic medal. Susaki, the Tokyo gold medallist and four-time World Champion, had an unbroken streak of 82 international wins but was left stunned by Vinesh's tactical prowess, leading to a 2-3 loss in the opening bout.

Riding high on this victory, Vinesh faced Ukraine's Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals. Livach, a former European champion and 2018 World Championship bronze medallist, put up a fierce fight, but Vinesh managed to secure a 7-5 win.

Despite a decorated career with three Commonwealth Games gold medals, an Asian Games title, and eight Asian Championship medals, Vinesh had yet to find Olympic success in Rio and Tokyo. Her breakthrough in Paris sparked celebrations in the Indian camp and relieved other competitors in Susaki's half of the draw, who saw a significant challenge eliminated.

Vinesh with the biggest upset of Paris Olympics

The initial bout with Susaki was a testament to Vinesh's strategic acumen. Both wrestlers started cautiously, with no significant action in the first 90 seconds. Vinesh was penalised for passivity, giving Susaki the first point. The second period continued similarly, with Vinesh trailing 0-2 after another passivity penalty.

However, with only 20 seconds remaining, Vinesh saw her chance. Attempting to grab Susaki's left leg, she initially failed but then capitalized on Susaki's unstable stance to execute a two-point takedown with just nine seconds left, sealing her victory. Vinesh celebrated emotionally, embracing her coach Woller Akos, while the Japanese corner’s challenge to the points was dismissed.

And then conquering Livach

Dropping to the 50kg class due to Antim Panghal's qualification in the 53kg category, Vinesh faced a physical adjustment but remained unscathed against Livach. She initially led 4-0 with consecutive takedowns, displaying both strength and technique. Livach mounted a comeback in the second period, narrowing the gap with a double-leg attack and a push-out point. A failed challenge from Vinesh's side made the score 5-4. With 48 seconds remaining, Vinesh secured another takedown, ensuring her victory despite Livach scoring once more.

Before the Paris Games, Vinesh had triumphed at the Spanish Grand Prix, which, though not featuring top-tier competitors, provided valuable mat time. Her preparation was also marked by significant activism, as she was a prominent figure in protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, spending nights demonstrating at Jantar Mantar.

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