Jakarta: Vinesh Phogat today created history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the Asian Games, brushing aside her rivals with remarkable ease in the 50kg category here.

Vinesh was a medal-favourite in her category and was likely to face stiff competition from Japan's Yuki Irie whom she outplayed 6-2 in the final. It is surely a ground-breaking achievement for the 23-year-old firebrand Haryana wrestler, who is connected to the Dangal-famed Phogat family.

Putting behind her heart-breaking loss at the Olympics two years ago, Vinesh began her campaign with a revenge win against Chinese Yanan Sun. It was Sun who was her opponent when she had suffered that terrible leg injury which cut short her journey in the Rio Olympics.

This time Vinesh did not give her opponent any chance and came out a dominant winner with a 8-2 score.

In the next bout, she brushed aside the challenge of Korea's Hyungjoo Kim by technical superiority. She ended the bout with a four-point throw. Vinesh's semi-final lasted just 75 seconds as she moved into the final with a 'fitley'. She was already up 4-0 and then rolled over her opponent thrice with leg-lock.

The gold also enabled Vinesh to achieve another feat as she became the only woman wrestler to win two medals in back-to-back Asian Games.

Vinesh had earlier won a bronze medal in the 48kg category at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. She also has back-to-back gold medals in Commonwealth Games - in Glasgow and Gold Coast.

Earlier, Sakshi Malik paid the price for being over-defensive and was left to fight for bronze in the 62kg category.

CWG silver medallist Pooja Dhanda will also fight for bronze after losing her semi-final in the 57kg.

Pinki was the only girl to not reach the medal round as she lost her first round bout in the 53kg category against Mongolia's Sumiya Erdenechimeg. She could not score a single point and lost her bout via technical superiority.

Sumit Malik, the last remaining Indian in the men's freestyle, bit the dust in the 125kg category as he could not resist his opponent even for two minutes, losing via technical superiority. Thus, the men's campaign finished with just one gold medal from Bajrang Punia (65kg).

Sakshi, playing her first Asian Games, was hardly challenged before her semi-final round as she easily won against Thailand's Salinee Srisombat (10-0) and Ayaulym Kassymova (10-0).

She was up 4-0 in her semi-final bout against Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynybekova but lost six points in a row by the end of first period.

She led 7-6 with a throw but became too defensive with 10 seconds to go. The Kyrgyz took advantage and pushed Sakshi out of the mat to pocket the match-wining two points.

Pooja lost just one point en route to the semi-finals as she outclassed Thailand's Orasa Sookdongyor (10-0) and Uzbekistan's Nabira Esenbae (12-1), but lost the last-four clash on technical superiority to Korea's Myong Suk Jong.

The knee-injury which cut short her Rio campaign had left her writhing in pain, but the tears in her eyes on Monday had a different meaning.

Vinesh had to be stretchered off the wrestling arena in 2016, after suffering a horrible knee injury and what followed was a long painful period of rehabilitation.

She rued the missed opportunity but decided not to break down and started her journey all over again.

"I had targeted gold. I had 3-4 silvers at the Asian level. So I was determined to win a gold today. My body responded well. I had trained well and God was also kind to me. Everything fell in place for me today," said Vinesh, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Injuries are part of an athlete's career. It is difficult both emotionally and physically. But I shrugged off everything to deliver. Someone has said an athlete becomes strong after an injury and I feel I indeed have become stronger than before," she added.

Vinesh felt she is a stronger athlete than Sun and Monday was the day to prove it. "There was pressure but it was to prove that I am actually stronger than her. I wanted to prove this today because I lost thrice to her before. And I have done this today," she said.

The 23-year old from Haryana is considered one of the most mentally strong wrestlers in India and she says it comes naturally to her.

"I work on this, but I am like this from childhood. I have always been rough and tough. I take risks in life and they pay off. I have self-belief. I feel there is nothing that I can't do," said Vinesh.

Asked if she idolises any wrestler, Vinesh replied in the negative.#She, however, said interactions with Sushil Kumar leaves a positive impact on her.

"I listen to Sushil ji a lot. Whatever he suggests I take note. In 2014 when I won bronze in Incheon he said, 'don't worry, whatever happens, happens for good. May be you have something bigger in store'. I always remember this message from him," Vinesh said. PTI