India's hopes of another medal in wrestling took a dent as Reetika Hooda lost to the top-seed Aiperi Medet Kyzy in the women's 76 kg freestyle quarterfinal in the Paris Olympics 2024. Reetika Hooda went down fighting against Kyrgyzstan's wrestler, who won the match despite the match ended in a 1-1 tie. Reetika Hooda faced a tough battle against the World Championship silver medalist. Both wrestlers engaged in a tense, defensive struggle, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but unfortunately, Reetika was on the losing end due to the countback rule. Under this rule, the wrestler who scores the last point is declared the winner in case of a tie.
Reetika Hooda still has a chance to win bronze if her quarterfinal opponent, Aiperi Medet Kyzy, advances to the final. This would qualify Reetika for the repechage round, where she could potentially wrestle for the bronze medal.
Reetika Hooda made a strong start to her Paris Olympics campaign, dominating Hungary's Bernadett Nagy with a decisive 12-2 technical superiority victory. This impressive performance showcased her skills and determination on the international stage. Hooda's Olympic journey is a testament to her consistent excellence in wrestling. She etched her name in history as the first Indian woman to win gold at the U-23 World Championships, defeating the USA's Kennedy Blades, who later qualified for the Olympics. Additionally, Hooda has secured bronze medals at both the senior Asian Championships and the Under-20 World Championships in the 72kg category.
Reetika Hooda's path to the Olympics has been unconventional. Having spent years competing in the 72kg weight class, she made a strategic shift to the Olympic category of 76kg. Due to the limited availability of female training partners at her level in India, Hooda has often honed her skills by sparring with male wrestlers at traditional Indian wrestling arenas known as akharas.
Meanwhile, India's wrestling contingent achieved a significant milestone at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Aman Sehrawat clinched the bronze medal, defeating Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz with a resounding 13-5 victory. This marked India's first wrestling medal at the Games and brought the country's total medal count to six, just one short of the seven medals won at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
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