Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat becomes 1st Indian woman to reach Olympic wrestling final after beating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the Women’s 50kg Freestyle semifinal at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday.
Phogat’s victory guarantees her a medal, as she will now compete for gold in the final. The bout saw both wrestlers play cautiously early on, but Phogat broke through around a minute into the match. Despite initial difficulties, Phogat secured the first point when Guzman received a 30-second shot clock for passivity.
Throughout the match, Guzman attempted to score by targeting Phogat’s legs, but neither wrestler was able to gain a significant advantage until Phogat capitalised on a second shot clock for passivity against Guzman. Phogat then dominated, securing four additional points to end the bout with a 5-0 victory.
Phogat has had a remarkable run at the Paris Olympics, starting with a significant win over Japan’s Yui Susaki, the reigning world champion, in the first round. This victory was notable as Susaki had been unbeaten internationally since the Tokyo 2020 Games. Phogat continued her impressive performance by overcoming Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 in the quarterfinals, showcasing her skill and tactical prowess.
Phogat’s final bout will determine if she can secure the gold medal and cement her place in Olympic history.