Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat bagged her second gold medal within a week as she defeated Canada’s Diana Weicker in the final of the 53kg event at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series in Rome on Saturday.
In her previous event, which marked her return to the mat, Vinesh had also won the gold medal in the 53kg category at the XXIV Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial in Kyiv.
Watch: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat pulls off epic move in closing seconds to win gold on return to mat
The 26-year-old has already qualified for this year’s Olympics and is one of India’s most promising medal prospects at the Games.
On Saturday, Vinesh won four points in the first three minutes of the bout and did well to hold on to that lead till the end.
In her first four bouts, Vinesh had to wrestle only twice as she got walkovers in the other two on Saturday. Vinesh, in fact, won her two bouts in the earlier rounds via fall and did not concede a single point on her way to the gold medal.
The final was a proper tussle though and Vinesh said she was not pleased with her efforts.
“I am not satisfied with this performance at all. I won but I want to attack more,” Vinesh told United World Wrestling. According to UWW, the medal in Rome was her third consecutive Ranking Series gold medal and fourth medal at this event. She was the defending champion as well.
“I want my score to be more than 4-0. While my mind knows that but my body is not allowing me to do it.”
In the earlier two bouts that she fought, Vinesh won those by pinning her rivals – first her compatriot Nandini Bajirao Saolkhe in the opening round and then Canadian Samantha Leigh Stewart in the semi-final, which lasted a mere 42 seconds. Nandini then lost in the bronze medal match.
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