Neeraj Chopra in awe of Vinesh Phogat's achievement after his season best throw in javelin: 'This is extraordinary'

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Neeraj Chopra put aside his personal milestone to heap rich praises on compatriot Vinesh Phogat, who qualified for women's wrestling 50kg semi-finals on Tuesday, August 6. Moments after qualifying for the men's javelin throw final after making his season best throw of 89.34 metres in the qualification round, Chopra called wrestler Vinesh Phogat's performance extraordinary.

Vinesh Phogat entered her maiden Olympic semifinals after notching up stunning back-to-back victories in Paris. The 29-year-old Vinesh stunned defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan and then got the better of higher-ranked Ukrainian Oksana Livach hours later to cruise to the women's 50kg semi-finals on Tuesday.

"This is extraordinary. To beat Susaki is unreal. The effort that she (Vinesh Phogat) has shown after what she has gone through is incredible. All the best to her!" Neeraj Chopra told reporters.

Later in the evening (10:15 PM), Vinesh will clash against Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the last-four round. A win will assure her of at least a silver while a loss will take her into the bronze medal playoff.

The 29-year-old had failed to win a medal in her two previous Olympic appearances. She has won two bronze medals in 53kg category in World Championships in 2019 and 2022.

Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia also praised Phogat for her sensational wins in the women's 50kg wrestling. Punia termed Vinesh Phogat as the 'Lioness of India'.

"Vinesh Phogat is the lioness of India who won back to back matches today. Defeated 4-time World Champion and defending Olympic champion. After that he defeated the former World Champion in the quarterfinals," Punia wrote on his 'X' handle.

Vinesh defeated Livach, a former European champion and 2018 world championship bronze-medallist, 7-5 in a hard-fought quarterfinal bout to get closer to an elusive Olympic medal in her third attempt.

This was after Vinesh Phogat caused the biggest wrestling upset in the ongoing Games when she shocked four-time world champion and reigning gold-medallist Yui Susaki of Japan on points in the pre-quarterfinals.

(With Inputs From PTI)