Reetika Hooda’s Quarter-Final Loss Explained: Why She Fell Short Despite 1-1 Tie

India faced another setback in women’s wrestling as Reetika Hooda was defeated by top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy from Kyrgyzstan in the quarterfinals of the women’s 76 kg freestyle event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday. Reetika initially gained the lead by earning the first point through passivity in the first period.

However, Medet Kyzy staged a comeback in the second round by forcing Reetika into defense and scoring a point through passivity. Since Medet Kyzy was the last to score, she secured the win based on countback.

Despite this loss, the 21-year-old from Rohtak, Haryana, still has a chance to compete for the bronze medal if Aiperi Medet Kyzy advances to the final and wins her semifinal bout.

Previously, Reetika outperformed two-time European Championships medallist Bernadette Nagy of Hungary with a 12-2 victory via technical superiority to reach the quarterfinals.

In 2023, Reetika made history as the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in the U-23 World Championships, defeating Kennedy Blades of the United States, who later made the USA Olympic team. Reetika, who also earned bronze at the 2023 Asian Championships in Astana, moved from the 72kg to the 76kg weight class for the Olympics.

Reetika will now wait to see if Kyzy makes it to the final, which would allow her a chance in the repechage round. If not, India’s Paris Games campaign will conclude with six medals and no gold.

Earlier, Reetika demonstrated her strength and skill by dominating Bernadette Nagy 12-2 in the pre-quarterfinals.