Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States of America (USA) will face losing semi-finalist Yusneylys Guzman in the gold medal match in the 50 kg women’s wrestling category at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, August 7. Guzman, ranked 12th, qualified for the final after India’s Vinesh Phogat, whom the Chilean lost to in the semi-finals, was disqualified for being overweight.
Hildebrandt, ranked 6th in the world, is now the favorite to secure gold in the 50 kg category, as she has looked unbeatable in the competition so far. USA has won a total of 86 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics — 27 clear of second-placed China. The States has 24 gold medals — two more than China.
Hildebrandt Close To Adding Paris Gold To Tokyo Bronze
Hildebrandt, 30, brought a bronze medal for the USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Looking even sharper at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she is now the favorite to add the highest honor to her collection.
Hildebrandt had an air of formidability around her in the three qualifying rounds on Tuesday, August 6. She bested Algerian wrestler Ibtissem Doudou in the pre-quarterfinals, winning 10-0. In the quarter-finals, she claimed a 7-4 victory over China’s Feng Ziqi. Lastly, in the semi-finals, Hildebrandt bagged a 5-0 win against Mongolian wrestler Dolgorjavyn Otgonjargal.
The Paris 2024 Olympics finalist also has seven Pan-American wrestling gold medals, four World Championships, and one 2019 Pan-American Games gold in her collection.
Why Was Vinesh Phogat Disqualified From the Paris 2024 Olympics Final?
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, every wrestling weight category is organized over two days. On both days, the competitors are weighed in, which ensures no one gets an unfair weight advantage. Phogat, who was competing in the 50 kg category, was well within the threshold on Tuesday morning. However, she reportedly gained around two kgs by Tuesday night and could not shed them before Wednesday’s weigh-in.
Announcing Phogat’s disqualification, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said in a statement:
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s wrestling 50kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.
“No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand.”
According to reports, Phogat and her team did not sleep all night, trying to shed the extra weight. Despite taking extreme measures, including cutting hair and attempting to draw out blood, Phogat was around 100 grams overweight at the time of the weigh-in.
The 29-year-old wrestler, who has a superior head-to-head record against Hildebrandt, reportedly fainted after her disqualification due to dehydration. She is currently undergoing treatment at the village polyclinic.
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