Vinesh Phogat is in the semifinal of the 50kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics, with two wins - including a stunning upset of the reigning Olympic champion - inside two hours.
First, she beat Yui Susaki 3-2 and then, in the quarterfinal, put up a brilliant attacking performance to defeat Ukraine's Oksana Livach 7-5.
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Vinesh dominated the quarterfinal with her effective takedowns and was the better wrestler for most part of the bout. She had a couple of good chances to close out the contest but Oksana held on. The Ukrainian turned aggressor in the final 45 seconds and did well to reduce the deficit, but Vinesh pulled off four points in 20 seconds to close out on a massive win.
Vinesh will face Pan American champion Guzman Lopez for a spot in the final. Her quarter-final will be later on Tuesday afternoon and her semifinal, if she qualifies, on Tuesday night.
She walked into the bout against with a more serious expression on her face and sporting a new hairdo. She meant business. What she did over the next six minutes was to close out the biggest deal of her life. Vinesh played the long game. Susaki went for an armbar, Vinesh slipped out of it. Susaki attempted a takedown on her right leg, Vinesh wriggled out of it. Vinesh didn't initiate any attacks herself and was penalized for it as Susaki was awarded a passivity point, but it did not matter. Three minutes in, Susaki led by one point. That was far from substantial.
Vinesh did the same in the second period. She evaded whatever Susaki did and gave away little to nothing. She conceded another passivity point, but you could sense Vinesh was holding off, playing to a plan, waiting for her moment.
That came with around seven seconds left. Vinesh swooped in, turned Susaki around and forced her onto the mat. The referee raised his hand to signal two points, but Vinesh needed to maintain the hold so that Susaki would not have a chance to attack. The remaining five seconds felt like a lifetime. Coach Woller Alkos was screaming his lungs out, partly celebrating and partly asking Vinesh to maintain the hold, as Susaki desperately wriggled underneath Vinesh. But Vinesh held on.
When those five seconds finally lapsed and the hooter went off, Vinesh peeled away and jumped in the air. She slammed the mat before falling onto her back and letting out a scream. She had just done the unthinkable. She had beaten the Yui Susaki.
Susaki challenged the takedown but the judges ruled against her and awarded Vinesh an extra point.
Match won, Vinesh ran towards Alkos and jumped into his arms.
There are more bouts to go but whatever happens, today was the day Vinesh sent the world - all her opponent, all her detractors, all her doubters - a message: Write me off at your peril.