Matchless Winesh

Rohit Mahajan in Paris

Vinesh Phogat, given up as a lost cause by Indian wrestling officaldom not long back, will fight Sarah Hildebrandt of the US for gold on Wednesday. Vinesh beat Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the 50kg freestyle semifinals with ease to enter the final, becoming the first Indian woman to make it to the final round.

Hockey heartbreak

The Indian hockey team, which had the opportunity to put the icing on the cake on a near-perfect day for India, lost to Germany in the semifinal 2-3. Coming back from 1-2 down, and at 2-2 after quarter 3, India had hope, but the German defence held fort. India will take on Spain for bronze on Thursday.

Pole position

Tokyo Games gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra storms into the men’s javelin throw final with season’s best effort of 89.34m in his first attempt in the qualification round on Tuesday. His personal best continues to be 89.94m.

Vinesh, her singlet drenched in sweat, her arms akimbo, her breath short, walks by, looking as far from being a superwoman as is possible — but rest assured, she’s a superwoman. Vinesh, with two Olympics nightmares in her memory bank, kept the dream of a gold alive when she entered the final, having beaten Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the semis.

Consider this: Over the last couple of years, Vinesh has led the movement against former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual molestation charges; she’s dropped down from 53kg to 50kg in the Olympics after being deposed in her preferred category by a bright youngster, Antim Panghal; and, most incredible of all, today she beat Yui Susaki in the first round of women’s 50kg wrestling — the biggest shock of the Olympics so far. Susaki was the defending champion and four-time world champion. It’s like Sumit Nagal beating Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. Vinesh, more aggressive in the quarterfinals, beat Livach to reach the semifinals, her best performance at the Olympics.

Vinesh made her magic at the wrestling mat of Champ de Mars arena; not too far away, at State de France, Neeraj Chopra, a good friend of Vinesh’s, hurled the javelin to 89.34 metres with his very first throw — his best of the season, and the best among all competitors today — to enter the final.

Chopra, the defending Olympics champion and reigning world champion, stretched his sinews fully with his first throw, a monster one, to easily cross the qualifying mark (84m) for the final. The effort allayed fears about the state of his fitness, for he’s been nursing an adductor injury in the months leading to the Olympics. Today’s 89.34m throw is his second-best career effort, behind the 89.94m he hit in 2022.

Chopra’s countryman Kishore Jena’s best was 80.73m, good enough only for ninth position in Group A, 18th overall. Chopra tried to cool down the expectations for the final. “In the final, everyone has a different mindset. We should focus on the fact that we have started well and the better we are prepared for the finals, the better,” he said.

Now, Chopra and Vinesh would both go for gold — India have already suffered several fourth-place tragedies here, but now onward, it would be different, surely, and these two friends from Haryana would make these the most memorable Olympics for India.