Paris 2024 Olympics: Vinesh Phogat beats defending champion Susaki in first round of women’s 50kg wrestling; qualifies for semifinal

India’s Vinesh Phogat upset the top-seeded grappler in women’s 50kg wrestling, Japan’s Yui Sasaki, to qualify for the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday.

India’s Vinesh Phogat, left, celebrates after defeating Japan’s Yui Susaki. | Photo Credit: AP

India’s Vinesh Phogat upset the top-seeded grappler in women’s 50kg wrestling, Japan’s Yui Susaki, to qualify for the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday.

Susaki, who is a four-time World champion and the Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo, was unbeaten in the last 82 international fights. Vinesh, on the other hand, is competing at the 50kg for the first time after cutting down from the 53kg.

Susaki led 0-2, courtesy of passivity points, with the last 10 seconds of the bout remaining but the Indian found a way to get a scoring move and take a 3-2 victory by points. The score was tied at 2-2 but the Japanese lost another point for an unsuccessful challenge.

Vinesh later defeated Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 in the last-eight stage, who was seeded eighth at the competition, to move to the semifinals. The win meant Vinesh will contest in a medal bout.