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One of India’s most celebrated wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, will start her Tokyo Olympics 2021 campaign on Thursday when she meets Sweden’s Sofia Magdalena Mattsson in the first round at Makuhari Messe Hall in Tokyo.
Vinesh Phogat, the top seed, is one of the favorites to win in the 53kg weight category.
Check Out: Tokyo Olympics 2021 Schedule
The Indian wrestler has been in top form in recent times and has dominated every tournament she has participated in this year. To put things into perspective, Vinesh Phogat has won 16 medals from 17 major competitions she has competed in.
Working with her Hungarian coach, Woller Akos, Vinesh Phogat has reached the pinnacle of her wrestling career. It will now be interesting to see if the wrestler can continue the good form with top-notch consistency levels in grand events like the Olympics.
Read: India at Olympics: Vinesh Phogat's wrestling draw analysis, schedule, opponents and possible pathway
The Tokyo Olympics 2021 is unlikely to be easy for Vinesh Phogat. She will be up against Magdalena Mattsson, who won a bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro five years back. Vinesh does hold an upper hand against her opponent, having thrashed her 13-0 in the World Championship.
Vinesh Phogat crashed out of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 after suffering a career-threatening injury. A podium finish in Tokyo Olympics 2021 would be the perfect redemption for the Indian wrestling star.
Vinesh Phogat weight category
Although Vinesh Phogat started in the 48kg category, she changed to the 53kg weight category recently and will be competing at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 in the upgraded division.
Read: Why do wrestlers change weight for Olympics?
Vinesh Phogat Tokyo Olympics 2021 opponents and schedule
Vinesh Phogat will be in action on Thursday, August 5. After meeting Magdalena Mattsson in the first round, she could run into Asian champion Vanesa Kaladzinskaya of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals. Vinesh Phogat could then meet Jacarra Winchester (USA) or Pang Qianyu (China) in the semifinals.
The first round, quarterfinals and the semifinals will be held on Thursday while the repechage match and the medal matches will be held on Friday.
When and where to watch Vinesh Phogat
Vinesh Phogat will be the first wrestler on Mat B on Thursday, August 5. The bout will start at 8 am. All matches can be watched on the Sony Sports Network – Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 3 and Sony Six. The live streaming of the bout will also be on SonyLIV. Regional broadcasts will be on Sony Ten 4.
