2024-04-22 18:22:44
Bishkek: Indian female wrestler Vinesh Phogat has achieved the quota for Paris Olympics. With victory in the semi-finals of the Asian Olympic Qualifier, Vinesh secured her Olympic ticket. She is the first and second overall wrestler to achieve Olympic quota from this tournament. In the men’s event of the Asian Olympic Qualifier, no Indian wrestler could reach the final and hence did not get the quota. Vinesh will represent India in the Olympics for the third time. Till now, no other Indian female wrestler has reached the Olympics more than once. Apart from Vinesh, Panghal, the last in the 53 kg category, has an Olympic quota.
Vinesh won in 50 kg category
India’s Vinesh Phogat defeated Kazakhstan’s Laura Ganikyaji 10-0 in the women’s 50kg semi-finals. Vinesh, who has won gold medals in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, won the match against the Kazakh wrestler on the basis of technical superiority in 4.18 minutes. Now she will face Uzbekistan’s Aktenge Kunimjeva, who defeated Chinese Taipei’s Meng Hsuan Hsieh 4-2.
Vinesh was dominant from the beginning
Vinesh gave her best performance right from the beginning of the event. He also registered one-sided victory in the two matches held before the semi-finals. In his first match, he defeated Korean opponent Miran Cheon in just 67 seconds. Then it was the turn of Cambodia’s Smanang Dit, who was also easily defeated. After these two matches, Vinesh did not give any chance to her opponent wrestler even in the semi-finals.
The main face of the wrestling movement
Vinesh Phogat has been in the news for the last one year. He started the wrestling movement along with Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik. The then President of the Indian Wrestling Federation and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was accused of alleged sexual harassment of a young wrestler. Due to lack of police action, the Pahwans started the movement.