“Vinesh Phogat is my hero”: Gaurav Gogoi praises wrestler as she reaches Paris Olympics finals

New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has lauded wrestler Vinesh Phogat for her impressive performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Phogat reached the finals of the women’s 50 kg wrestling event, marking a historic achievement as the first Indian to do so.

In a post on X, Gogoi described Phogat as his hero and extended his best wishes for her to win the Olympic gold medal.

“Vinesh Phogat is my hero. She is a symbol of grit, self-belief, and strength,” Gogoi posted on X. “Now I wish her to focus and secure that Olympic gold medal–for herself, for Indian women, and for the entire nation.”

Phogat became the first Indian to reach the Olympic final in women’s wrestling after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semi-final match on Tuesday.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his support, saying “Today, along with Vinesh, the entire country is emotional after defeating three top wrestlers of the world in a single day.”

“All those who denied the struggle of Vinesh and her teammates, and even questioned their intentions and abilities, have got their answer. Today, the entire power system that had made India shed tears of blood collapsed in front of her brave daughter. This is the identity of champions, they give their answer from the field. Best wishes Vinesh. The echo of your success in Paris can be heard clearly till Delhi,” Congress MP said in a post on X.

Phogat delivered a standout performance in the quarter-finals against Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan.

Despite trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period, Phogat made a remarkable comeback in the second period to win 3-2 and advance to the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, she maintained her momentum, securing a place in the final with a strong performance against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach.