THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
Rohit Mahajan in Paris
“Down goes Susaki! Down goes the world champion!”
The wrestling world was struck by a tremor of massive proportions a little before noon today, shaken by the fall of a giant of the sport, Champ de Mars, close to the Eiffel Tower here, being the epicentre. Then, Vinesh Phogat calmly walked by the media, hands folded in thanksgiving and apology. She doesn’t wish to talk after having handed Yui Susaki — multiple world champion, the defending champion in women’s 50kg wrestling, unbeaten for 94 international bouts in a row! — a shock defeat in the first round.
She deliberately kept it calm, passive in the first five minutes, then attacked in the sixth minute. It was strategy. She’s mentally tough, she was very confident. But it’s a miracle, because Sasuki has been an U-17, U-19, U-23 and senior world champion. She’s never lost on the international circuit. — Virender Dahiya, Indian coach
Vinesh’s muscles ache, and she must rest and recover before her next bout, the pre-quarterfinal against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach, to begin a little over an hour later. But her heart is full, too, for the process of adulting has made her angry and bitter — from a chirpy, ever-smiling teenager of a decade ago, she’s become distant, distrustful, cynical.
What she’s lost, innocence, has been replaced by something more useful on the mat — guile, nous, artfulness. Vinesh beat Susaki with guile; by playing the docile sheep for most of the bout, she lulled the great Susaki into a false sense of security. Vinesh so completely lacked initiative and energy for the most part, she conceded a point in each round for passivity and was down 0-2 with 63 seconds left in the bout.
It’s very likely Susaki thought so, too; but Vinesh had different ideas. With 17 seconds left on the clock, she made her first attacking move — with coach Woller Akos hollering at her to go for it, she tried to grab Susaki’s right leg, but the Japanese legend escaped. Vinesh again went after her, trying to get a grip on her neck, and Susaki suddenly looked vulnerable. She was backing away, but keeping low in defence — a fatal mistake! Vinesh, all over Susaki, bore down upon her, and down went Susaki on the mat, on her chest — two points for the Indian, with five seconds to go! Vinesh tried to flip Susaki over for two more points, but then the hooter went — 2-2 the score, and then 3-2 for the Indian after Susaki challenged the final decision and lost it, and a famous victory for Vinesh.
The great Susaki, her coach said, was crying and crying, but OK. She was also hoping that Vinesh would reach the final, for that would let Susaki fight for bronze tomorrow through repechage: 15 seconds of magic by Vinesh, and the shoe was on the other foot, with Japan praying for Vinesh’s progress.
Vinesh was a changed woman in the quarterfinal against Livach — she made her first attack within 15 seconds, and though the Ukrainian fought like a tigress in the end, Vinesh was a clear winner at 7-5.
The semifinal bout against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez was anti-climactic, with victory written all over the Indian right from the start.
Vinesh is certain to receive a call from the prime minister, and likely be congratulated for her bravery and passion — and, hopefully, gold.
That, indeed, would be very different from what she went through in Delhi last year — dragged on the streets of the capital for standing up for the right of women to not be molested by officials, belittled and vilified for months. Last December, she left her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award medals on a pavement in Delhi — after being denied permission to meet the prime minister.
How things change!
