Paris Olympics 2024: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat To Face Defending Champion Yui Susaki In Opening Match

PARIS: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat is set to kick-start her campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday.

A tough challenge awaits her in the opening match as Phogat will take on Japan's Yui Susaki in the women's 50kg wrestling event.

The 30-year-old wrestler from Haryana, will be hoping to start-off the tournament with a win.

However, it will not be easy as she has a daunting task in front of her. Her opponent Susaki won the gold medal at Tokyo 2020, that too without conceding a single point.

She also has not lost a single bout since 2010, except for three defeats to Yuki Irie in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Revered for her excellent technique, Susaki clinched gold at the 2017 Paris World Wrestling C'ships at 48kg. The following year, she won gold at the Budapest World Wrestling C'ships at 50kg.

She also grabbed gold in the women's 50kg at the 2022 World Wrestling C'ships. The Japanese has a Olympic gold, five World C'ships gold, two Asian C'ships gold, a gold each at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin and World U-23 C'ships under her belt.

Her other notable achievements include two golds at the World Juniors C'ships and three at the World Cadets C'ships.

Vinesh will have an uphill task in front of her, considering the fact that she lost in the quarter-finals of Tokyo 2020 against Vanesa Kaladzinskaya of Belarus.

Meanwhile, in her Olympic debut in Rio 2016, she was regarded as one of the favourites but suffered a heartbreaking quarter-final defeat due to an unfortunate knee injury.

It is worth mentioning that Vinesh made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold at both the CWG and Asian Games. She also happens to be the only Indian woman wrestler to win multiple medals at the World Wrestling C'ships.

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