Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat had a emotional video call with her mother a moment after she secured her berth for the final of the women's freestyle 50kg event at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday, August 7.
After Vinesh Phogat defeated reigning Olympic champion and World No.1 Yui Susaki in the pre-quarters, many thought that the Bilali-born grappler's path to the final was clear. After a pre-quarters win, Vinesh registered 7-5 win over Oksana Livach of Ukraine in the quarterfinals and qualified for the semifinal.
In the semifinal, Vinesh continued her dominant performance with 5-0 win over Yusneylys Guzman of Cuba to qualify for the final. With her qualification to the final, Vinesh Phogat scripted history by becoming the first ever Indian woman wrestler and the second overall after retired grappler Sushil Kumar to qualify for the gold medal in wrestling at the Olympics.
In a video posted by United World Wrestling on its X handle (formerly Twitter), Phogat was seen talking to her mother after securing her berth for the gold medal match and was heard saying 'Gold lana hai' (I will bring Gold). Vinesh's mother was visibly emotional during the video call as her daughter secured a medal for India at the Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat qualified for her maiden Olympic final in her third appearance at the Summer Games. Phogat made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio but had a heartbreaking end to her campaign after she suffered a knee injury. At the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Vinesh was knocked out after losing in the quarterfinal bout.
With her qualification to the final at the ongoing Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat has assured of silver and fourth medal for India after three bronze by Indian shooters.
