Vinesh Phogat qualifies for women’s 50kg wrestling final, assured of medal at Paris 2024 Olympics

Vinesh, who is competing in this weight category for the first time, secured a 5-0 victory by points. She will take on USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt for the gold medal on Wednesday.

Vinesh Phogat during the women’s freestyle 50kg quarterfinal match at the Paris Olympics. | Photo Credit: PTI

Vinesh Phogat defeated Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman in the semifinal of women’s 50kg wrestling at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday and assured India of a medal. She will contest the gold-medal match on Wednesday against USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.

Vinesh, who is competing in this weight category for the first time, secured a 5-0 victory by points. With the win, she became the first Indian woman to reach a wrestling final at the Olympics. She will become only the second Indian woman wrestler after Sakshi Malik to medal at the Summer Games.

Vinesh won her first point by passivity in the first round. The Indian was then handed a passivity warning in the second round which she used to pick four points.

The Indian wrestler had earlier shocked defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16. She went on to beat Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinal.