Vinesh Phogat’s: On Tuesday, Vinesh Phogat made history as the first female wrestler from India to go to the Olympic finals.

In the women’s 50kg freestyle division, Vinesh Phogat did not have the most popularity. Not because, despite being the most decorated female wrestler in India with two World Championships, three CWG, and eight Asian Championship medals, she had not yet proven herself on the largest platform. However, in her opening match at.

The Paris Olympics in 2024,

she faced up against Yui Susaki, the current Olympic champion and world number one.It was widely anticipated that Vinesh would win the bronze by taking advantage of the repechage round, while Susaki would continue her undefeated record at the Games.

But Vinesh did more than just astound Susaki and the thousands glued to their respective viewing sets with a stunning 3-2 win in the first tie; she also scripted a relatively easy run to the final on Tuesday to become the first Indian woman to compete for Olympic gold in wrestling.

But what motivated Vinesh to script that remarkable performance on Day 11 of the Paris Games was not the desire to prove herself given what she had been through since the Tokyo Olympics, particularly in recent months; rather, she was battling for a larger cause.

Vinesh was defeated ‘by fall’ in the 53kg quarterfinals in the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The off-field turbulence prompted her to ponder leaving the sport. However, Vinesh fought back and later launched a campaign against the WFI chief, accusing him of sexual assault.

The long judicial struggle continues, but it has lost steam. Vinesh suffered as a result, as she failed to reach the Paris cut in the 53kg division due to her absence from the World Championships, with Antim Panghal securing that spot. The 29-year-old later fell to the 50kg category, qualifying for the Games for the third time.

On Tuesday, Vinesh

stunned Susaki in the waning stages of their pre-quarterfinal match, handing the defending champion her first defeat in 83 fights, before humiliating 2018 European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine in the quarterfinals.

Later in the day, she demonstrated her tactical savvy once more, defeating Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba 5-0 in the semifinals to secure at least a silver medal in her third Olympic appearance.

But the medal is unlikely to symbolize her talent on the mat, but rather a fight “for the future generation of wrestlers,” Vinesh said Bajrang Punia, who supported her throughout those 18 months of protest against former WFI chairman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Punia, a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Games, told ESPN:

“She told me I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers.” Not for me; my career is over, and this is my final Olympics. I want to fight for the young female wrestlers who will come to fight for their right to wrestle safely. That’s why I went to Jantar Mantar and why I’m here now.”

Vinesh will face American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the gold medal match on Wednesday.

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