Vinesh Phogat enters maiden Olympic semi-final after hard-fought win

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat created history on Tuesday after entering her maiden Olympic semi-final with a hard-fought win in the 50-kg category. Phogat beat Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the last-eight stage at the Paris Olympics 2024.

The 29-year-old Vinesh defeated Livach 7-5 in a hard-fought bout to get closer to an elusive Olympic medal in her third attempt. This came after she caused the biggest upset in wrestling at the Games when she socked four-time world champion and reigning gold-medallist Yui Susaki of Japan on points to enter the quarter-finals.

Trailing 0-2 after conceding penalty points for passivity, the Indian wrestler came back brilliantly in the last five seconds to take down the top seed by clinching three points to win 3-2. Vinesh had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympic appearances.

Later in the evening on Tuesday, the Indian wrestler will up against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the last-four stage. A victory will assure her of at least a silver while a loss will take her into the bronze medal playoff. Vinesh started the day against Susaki and trailed 0-2 after conceding penalty points for passivity. But she made a superb comeback in the last five seconds of the bout to take down the top seed player by clinching three points to win 3-2.

In her next bout against Livach, Vinesh put on a more assured performance, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the first round and building on it the next three minutes. Livach came back to reduce the gap to 5-4 but Vinesh held her nerves to nose ahead. Vinesh had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympic appearances.

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 Vinesh Phogat defeated Oksana Livach 7-5 in a hard-fought bout to get closer to an elusive Olympic medal in her third attempt.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today