Olympics 2024: Reetika Hooda in action© AFP
India suffered another setback in women’s wrestling as Reetika Hooda lost to top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan in the quarterfinal of the women’s 76 kg freestyle wrestling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday. After Reetika won the first point by passivity in the first period, Medet Kyzy made a remarkable comeback in the second round of the game by forcing Reetika on defence and collecting a point by passivity and because Medet Kyzy was the last wrestler to win a point, she got the win based on countback.
However, the 21-year-old from Rohtak in Haryana still has a shot at the bronze medal through the repechage round if Aiperi Medet Kyzy wins her semifinal bout and reaches the final.
Earlier, Reetika outclassed two-time European Championships medallist Bernadette Nagy of Hungary 12-2 via technical superiority to enter the quarterfinals.
Reetika made history in 2023 as the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in the U-23 World Championships, defeating Kennedy Blades of the United States, who went on to make the USA Olympic team.
Reetika, a bronze medallist at the 2023 Asian Championships in Astana, advanced from the 72kg weight class to the 76kg category, which is part of the Olympic roster, following years of competing in the lower level.
Reetika will now wait for Kyzy to enter the final which will give her a shot at competing in the repechage round.
If she doesn’t then India’s Paris Games campaign will end with six medals and without a gold.
Earlier, Reetika displayed power and skill in equal measure while outclassing Bernadett Nagy of Hungary 12-2 in the pre-quarterfinals
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