Vinesh Phogat vs. Unbeaten Yui Susaki in Paris Opener: Tuesday marks the start of Vinesh Phogat’s Paris Olympics 2024 campaign. In the women’s 50kg wrestling competition, she will compete against Yui Susaki of Japan. She won gold in the CWG, Asian Games, and Asian Championships, and she is a bronze medallist in the global championship. She will be looking to start her campaign strong.
Yui Susaki is a person who?
She will, however, be up against Susaki, the reigning champion who won gold in Tokyo 2020 without giving up a point. With the exception of three setbacks against Yuki Irie in 2015, 2017 and 2019, she has also not dropped a fight since 2010.
She won gold at the 2017 Paris World Wrestling Championships at 48 kg thanks to her superb technique. Then, in the Budapest World Wrestling Championships in 2018, she won gold in the 50kg class. In the 2022 World Wrestling Championships, she also took home the gold in the women’s 50kg class.
She has won gold at the Olympics, five World Championships, two Asian Championships, and one gold each in the World U-23 and Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin. Additionally, she won three gold at the World Cadet Championships and two at the World Junior Championships.
A massive mission awaits Vinesh Phogat
Given that she lost to Belarusian Vanesa Kaladzinskaya in the Tokyo 2020 quarterfinals, Vinesh will have a difficult task ahead of her. She was among the favourites when she made her Olympic debut in Rio 2016 but lost in the quarterfinals due to a knee ailment.
Considering that Susaki is the frontrunner to go to the final, it may also be advantageous to face the Japanese competitor. Vinesh, who dropped to the 50 kg weight class, may be able to make room for Antim Panghal, who weighs 53 kg.
Vinesh became the first female wrestler from India to win a gold medal at the Asian Games and the CWG. Additionally, she is the only female wrestler from India to have won multiple medals in the World Championships.
