Star grappler Vinesh enters maiden Olympic semi-final

Paris, Aug 6 (PTI) Seasoned Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat entered her maiden Olympic semifinals in the 50kg category after notching up stunning victories over defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan and higher-ranked Ukrainian Oksana Livach along the way here on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old Vinesh defeated Livach, a former European champion and 2018 world championship bronze-medallist, 7-5 in a hard-fought quarterfinal bout to get closer to an elusive Olympic medal in her third attempt.

This was after she caused the biggest wrestling upset in the ongoing Games when she shocked four-time world champion and reigning gold-medallist Yui Susaki of Japan on points in the pre-quarterfinals.

Later in the evening, Vinesh will be up against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the last-four stage. A win will assure her of at least a silver while a loss will take her into the bronze medal playoff.

Vinesh started the day against Susaki and trailed 0-2 after conceding penalty points for passivity. But the Indian came back brilliantly in the last five seconds to take down the top seed by clinching three points to win 3-2.

Againsh Livach, Vinesh put on a more assured performance, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the first round and building on it the next three minutes. Livach came back to reduce the gap to 5-4 but Vinesh held her nerves to nose ahead.

Vinesh had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympic appearances.