Tokyo Olympics Wrestling: Vinesh Phogat falters in quarterfinals against European Champion Kaladzinskaya, bronze medal hopes alive

Tokyo Olympics Wrestling: Vinesh Phogat falters in quarterfinals against European Champion Kaladzinskaya, bronze medal hopes alive

Vinesh Phogat

Ace Indian grappler Vinesh Phogat has failed to seal a semifinal berth at the Tokyo Olympics. Phogat lost comprehensively to Belarusian Vanesa Kaladzinskaya in her quarterfinal bout. It was a dominant showing by the European Champion as the Rio Olympics quarterfinalist’s search for redemption hits a snag.

Kaladzinskaya stunned the Indian as she pinned her in the second period to clinch the bout. Vinesh seemed under the pump from the get-go as she conceded a three-point lead in the first period. The Belarusian scored three more points before pinning the reigning Asian Champion.

Vinesh Phogat’s bronze medal hopes alive

Vinesh Phogat
Vinesh Phogat

While Vinesh stormed past Sweden’s Sofia Mattsson in her opening bout to advance to the next round. She had conceded only a single point against the former Olympic bronze medalist. but she was left struggling in the quarterfinal. The Asian Champion has hope for a bronze medal if Kaladzinskaya makes it to the final.

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Earlier, Teenage sensation Anshu Malik has lost her repechage bout in her maiden Olympic campaign. Anshu went down to Russia’s Valeria Koblova 5-1 in her second go for a podium finish. With this, the 19-year old’s journey at the Tokyo Games has come to an end.

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