Reetika Hooda Bows Out of Olympics

Indian wrestler Reetika Hooda faced a tough challenge at the Olympics held in Paris on Saturday. She competed in the women’s 76kg wrestling category and hoped to continue her journey, but her dream ended in the quarterfinals.

Reetika went up against Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy, and the match was intense. With both wrestlers performing well, the score was tied 1-1 after six minutes. However, Kyzy managed to advance after scoring the final point, leaving Reetika out of the medal contention.

Reetika had actually started her Olympic journey on a high note. Just before this match, she won against two-time European medallist Bernadette Nagy with an impressive score of 8-2. Many had high hopes for her, especially since she had previously secured a gold medal at the Under-23 World Championship last year.

During the quarterfinal match, Reetika was aggressive and even managed to get a point for inactivity against Kyzy within the first few minutes. But despite her efforts, she couldn’t score again. As the match progressed, it was evident that both wrestlers were struggling to take the upper hand.

After Reetika’s defeat, all eyes turned to Kyzy’s next match. Reetika’s chances for a bronze medal depended on Kyzy reaching the finals. However, she lost to Kennedy Blades from the USA, sealing Reetika’s fate and ending India’s campaign at the 2024 Olympics with six medals so far, but unfortunately, no gold.