Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Reaches Gold Medal Match in Paris Olympics 2024, Makes History

Paris Olympics 2024 Day 11 Live Updates

Vinesh Phogat Reaches Gold Medal Match

Vinesh Phogat made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. She beat Yusneylys Guzman of Cuba 5-0 to get to the gold medal match in the women’s freestyle 50 kg event.

She had a spectacular start to her competition, defeating defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki to progress to the quarterfinals and then defeating Oksana Livach 7-5 to reach the semifinals.

Neeraj Chopra qualified for the final of the men’s javelin throw event with an impressive performance of 89.34m.

Also Read, Artistic Swimming Olympics 2024: Athleticism Shines at Paris

However, the Indian table tennis trio of Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar were ousted in the round of 16 after losing 0-3 to the top-seeded Chinese team.

In the women’s 400m repechage round, Kiran Pahal came last in her heat and did not advance to the semifinals.

The Indian men’s hockey team faces Germany in the semifinals later today, with a chance to win a historic gold. Kishore Jena’s career came to an end as he failed to place among the top 12 in the men’s javelin qualification round.

Paris Olympics 2024 Remaining India Events for August 6

9:45 PM IST – Wrestling: Women’s 50kg Freestyle Semifinal (Vinesh Phogat vs Yusneylys Guzman)

10:30 PM IST – Hockey: Men’s Semifinal (India versus Germany)

About Vinesh Phogat

Vinesh Phogat (born August 25, 1994) is an Indian professional wrestler and two-time Olympian from Haryana, India.

Previously, she was the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in the Commonwealth and Asian Games. She is the only Indian female wrestler to win several medals at the World Wrestling Championship.

Vinesh Phogat was also the first Indian athlete to be shortlisted for the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2019.

Phogat made history as the first international wrestler to defeat Yui Susaki at the Paris Olympics 2024. The defending gold medalist and World Champion was beaten 2-3 in the round of 16 of women’s 50kg wrestling.

Vinesh Phogat became India’s very first female wrestler to reach the Olympic finals in history.

She was one of the organizers of the 2023 Indian wrestlers’ protest against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh’s alleged rape and molestation, which took place in two parts, one in January 2023 and the other in April 2023.

Personal life of Vinesh Phogat

Family

Vinesh is from a successful wrestling family. Her cousins are accomplished international wrestlers and Commonwealth Games medalists.

She is the daughter of wrestler Rajpal Phogat and a cousin of Geeta and Babita. Both of her relatives won gold medals in the 55 kg division at the Commonwealth Games.

Her father and uncle faced intense criticism and hostility from the people in their hamlet of Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, India for allowing her cousins and her to pursue competitive wrestling. They were found to be violating the morals and ideals of their community.

Her cousin, Ritu Phogat, is also an international wrestler who won gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships.

Marriage

On December 13, 2018, she married her long-time partner and fellow wrestler Somvir Rathee of Bakhta Khera village in Jind district, who has two gold medals in the national championships.

The pair have known each other since 2011. They both work for Indian Railways, where they met and fell in love.