Vinesh Phogat has captured the nation’s heart by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. Her historic achievement at the Paris Olympics has sparked a wave of admiration and congratulatory messages from the Indian film industry.
Phogat’s remarkable journey to the final has not gone unnoticed. Renowned actor RajKummar Rao took to Instagram to express his joy, sharing a photo of Phogat with a heartfelt message: “We’re in the finals! It was such a joy to watch you live. You are the pride of our nation, @vineshphogat. Good luck in the finals. Our prayers are with you.”
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat won her semifinal bout in the Women’s 50 kg freestyle category with a 5-0 victory over Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzmán, securing a place in the finals and guaranteeing at least a #silvermedal for India.#Olympics #OlympicGames #Olympic2024 #ParisOlympics2024… pic.twitter.com/tMoP0E2eal
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) August 6, 2024
Similarly, Ayushmann Khurana posted on Instagram Stories, celebrating Phogat’s emotional victory over the world’s top-ranked champion. His story read, “Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat couldn’t stop crying after her win against the unbeatable world No.1 champion.” He punctuated his message with a National Flag emoji.
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Riteish Deshmukh also praised Phogat’s performance, writing on X, “That’s what a champion looks like after beating the World No.1 and defending Olympic Gold Medal holder. #VineshPhogat.”
Taapsee Pannu shared a video of Phogat’s winning moment, marveling at her accomplishment. Pannu wrote, “This woman will be remembered as a benchmark for decades! What a performance! @vineshphogat, you’ve earned a fan for life.”
Randeep Hooda joined in the celebrations with a post on X, featuring a photo of Phogat post-victory and a “fingers crossed” emoji, while Kunal Kemmu expressed his pride with, “What a champ. Ufff. Sooooooo Proud!!!” His wife, who also watched the match, added, “First Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final, Vinesh Phogat!!!!! Soooo proud!!!!”
Phogat’s path to the finals was nothing short of extraordinary. In the quarter-finals, she faced Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki from Japan. Despite trailing 1-0 after the first period, Phogat made a stunning comeback in the second period, defeating Susaki 3-2 and ending her opponent’s 82-match unbeaten streak.
In the semi-finals, Phogat went up against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach. She took an early 2-0 lead and managed to hold off Livach’s efforts in the second period, securing her spot in the final.
As she prepares to face USA’s Ann Sarah Hildebrandt in the final on August 7, the entire nation, along with the Indian film fraternity, eagerly awaits to cheer her on.