Following her struggles during the wrestlers’ protest last year, uncertainties after knee surgery and confusion over whether she could get a chance to challenge Antim Panghal, who had won the 53kg Olympic quota place, two-time World Championships bronze medal-winning wrestler Vinesh Phogat chose to compete in the 50kg selection trials and eventually secured a quota.
Despite the arduous task of significantly cutting down her body weight to fit into 50kg, Vinesh was determination personified as she shocked Japan’s World and Olympic champion, Yui Susaki, 3-2 in her opening bout on her way to the semifinals of the Olympics at the Champ de Mars wrestling arena here on Tuesday.
This was Yui’s first loss in an international competition. She had never tasted defeat in 82 international matches and had lost only three times to a Japanese opponent, Yuki Irie.
For someone who dislocated her knee midway through the quarterfinal to be stretched off in the Rio Olympics (2016) and had a forgettable outing in Tokyo (2021), it was a remarkable performance from the feisty Vinesh, who fights her battles, both on and off the mat, with brain and brawn.
Vinesh did exactly that to do the unthinkable against top-seeded Yui. The Indian’s turnaround in the dying seconds seemed magical, but it was part of a well-thought-out strategy.
Tactical masterclass
Practically still and without a single move for most of the bout, a patient Vinesh began her only attack with less than 20 seconds to go. She capitalised when Yui lost her balance while retreating and effected a takedown with nine seconds left on the clock. The two points were good enough to ensure Vinesh’s win through criteria as her move fetched more technical points.
The five minutes and 42 seconds before that were all about Vinesh’s defence. With nothing to lose — a defeat to Yui, in likelihood, would have kept her in the bronze medal hunt, and an upset win would have brought her glory and a chance to reach the final — the 29-year-old opted to save her energy and concede minimum ground. She gave away a point apiece in each period due to passivity before outsmarting her opponent when the clock was winding down fast.
A stunned Yui’s desperate video challenge was in vain and cost her another point.
A teary-eyed Vinesh’s celebrations with her coach, Woller Akos, were befitting of the upset: perhaps the biggest by an Indian so far. The two, who faced criticism after the Tokyo flop show and trained single-mindedly in Bengaluru and Spain in the run-up to Paris, were overwhelmed after producing a result that changed the dynamics of the highly competitive 50kg class.
“It was a miracle,” said Indian women’s head coach Virender Dahiya.
Double whammy
Vinesh regrouped herself to ward off a strong challenge from 2023 European Championships silver medallist Oksana Livach, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
The Indian’s takedown helped her grab a 2-0 lead in the first period. She made it 4-0 through a double-leg attack before Oksana fought back brilliantly to bridge the gap to 4-2. Vinesh secured one more point, but the Ukrainian got another via a pushout. A challenge from the Indian corner was unsuccessful, and the score was tantalisingly poised at 5-4.
The gritty Vinesh showed her class to claim another two-pointer and ultimately won the hard-fought bout 7-5 to set up a semifinal clash with Pan American Games champion Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez.
With her head down, Vinesh walked silently through the mixed zone, either with folded hands or whispering a ‘thank you’ to a compliment, while politely refusing any media interactions before her mission was accomplished. One could only appreciate her unwavering focus, which has enabled her to jump over innumerable hurdles in her life.
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