Paris 2024: Vinesh assures at least Silver in women's 50kg category
She grappled on the streets with an "unjust system" without a care in the world and on Tuesday Vinesh Phogat brought a lot of that panache to the mat as well, taking down one big name after another to become India's first woman wrestler to enter the finals of the Olympic Games.
The 29-year-old from Haryana defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba 5-0 in the semifinals where she used brain and brawn in equal measure to be assured of a at least a silver in her third Olympic outing.
This was after she was stretchered off on her debut in Rio 2016 and had a forgettable outing in Tokyo four years later.
"Tomorrow is an important, will talk then," she told the waiting media before vanishing from the sight to prepare for her summit battle against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.
On the day, she beat world No. 1 and reigning Olympic champion Yui Sasaki during the dying moments of their pre-quarterfinal biut, handing the legendary Japanese her first defeat in 83 bouts.
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