Indian wrestler Reetika Hooda was narrowly defeated in the quarterfinals of the women’s 76 kg freestyle category at the Paris Olympics on Saturday. Hooda faced Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan in a tightly contested match that ended 1-1 after six minutes of intense defensive wrestling.
Kyzy secured the victory by scoring the last equalizing point, according to the rules. Both wrestlers adopted a defensive strategy, with the sole points being awarded for passivity in the two periods.
Hooda needed Kyzy to advance to the final to have a chance to compete in the repechage round. But sadly, India’s Olympic journey comes to an end as Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan is eliminated, dashing the dreams of a comeback for Indian wrestler Reetika Hooda.
In earlier rounds, Hooda demonstrated impressive skill and power by defeating Bernadett Nagy of Hungary 12-2 in the pre-quarterfinals.