Vinesh Phogat At The Olympics: A Champion's Battle Against An Unforgiving Fate

India, on Tuesday, August 6th, reached the closest to a gold medal finish at the Paris Olympics 2024. The wrestling event finally had Vinesh Phogat taking the mat, and the wrestler put forth her best performance. Phogat pulled off three wins on the same day to lock in her spot in the final match of the 50 kg women's wrestling event. The semifinal win, first by any Indian in the women's event, assured a silver for India. However, things took a drastic and heartbreaking turn with the dawn of the final match day. Vinesh Phogat failed her weight test on Wednesday, turning out to be a little over 100 grams overweight to fight in the 50 kg category. The protocols kicked in as Vinesh faced disqualification from the tournament. The Paris Olympics 2024 is now the third Olympics season for Vinesh Phogat, returning empty-handed from the marquee event.

Vinesh Phogat And The Unending Yearn For An Olympics Medal

Coming from a family of wrestling champions, Vinesh first registered her name as the brightest wrestler to have come out of the Phogat family. The wrestling sensation has picked gold medals from all the major tournaments, be it the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games. The 3 Commonwealth golds and one each from the Asian Games and the Asian Wrestling Championships in her account, display her as one of the most adorned athletes of India. However, the Olympics have proved intensely challenging for Phogat, not only keeping her devoid of a medal but delivering career-threatening injuries to her twice.

The 2016 Rio Olympics marked the first Olympic games for Vinesh Phogat. Though a debutante at the tournament, Phogat’s winning records displayed her as the top medal contender for India at the Olympic Games. The wrestler fought her way into the quarter-finals before picking up an injury in the match. Pitted against China’s Sun Yanan in the last eight, Vinesh dislocated her right knee. The severity of the injury immediately ruled Phogat out of the tournament, leaving the young wrestler in agonizing pain.

The wrestler returned for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to complete her unfinished medal mission. However, her 2020 campaign followed a similar discourse as the 2016 season, as Vinesh suffered an injury and couldn’t get past the group stage. Soon after her exit from the 2020 Olympics, the wrestler underwent an elbow injury.

Vinesh Phogat And The Challenges Endured On The Road To The Paris Olympics 2024

Pitted against the Japanese champion, Yui Sasaki, who hadn’t faced an international defeat in over 5 years, Phogat was anticipated to conclude her Paris Olympics campaign in the pre-quarterfinal round itself. The fraternity termed it an upset as Phogat beat Sasaki 3-2 in the match. But for Phogat, Sasaki wasn’t the toughest battle she had to face to reach the stage.

The year preceding Phogat’s venture into the Paris Olympics has been dramatic for the onlookers. For Phogat, they have been the most daunting days of her life where she faced challenges and resistance greater than any she has ever faced on the mat. Post the 2020 Olympics, the challenges grew beyond just physical injuries for the wrestler.

January 2023 witnessed Indian wrestlers like Babita Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat starting a protest against the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India. The wrestlers accused Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan of sexual assault and intimidation. What followed was a shocking spectacle for the nation. The wrestlers spent days and nights out on the street to appeal for action against the WFI chief. Vinesh was seen being thrashed by police personnel on the street.

This was just a year before the Olympic Games of 2024. Adding further woes, Vinesh Phogat had to undergo knee surgery before commencing her preparation for the Paris Olympics. Moreover, the wrestler initially failed to qualify in her usual spot, the 53 kg category. The 29-year-old then lost weight to compete for the 50 kg qualifications, which eventually landed in Phogat’s favor.

Paris Olympics 2024: The Closest Vinesh Came To Winning The Ultimate Glory

After enduring a period of insurmountable challenges, Vinesh Phogat landed in Paris with a zeal never seen before. The wrestler started her campaign on August 6th when she cruised through 3 bouts to seal her place in the final of the 50 kg category. Phogat first beat Japan’s Yui Sasaki in the pre-quarterfinal bout 3-2 to advance to the quarterfinal. The win against the Tokyo Olympics gold winner displayed Phogat’s expertise. Sasaki had come to the Olympics following a streak of remaining unbeaten in 95 international matches.

Next up, Phogat took down Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 in the quarterfinal and Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 to become the first-ever Indian wrestler to reach the final round of a women’s wrestling event in the Olympics. By the end of the semi-final bout, Phogat ensured at least a silver medal for India. Moreover, the Indian was perched as the favorite for the gold medal. Phogat was supposed to go against America’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the final match. However, Wednesday took a heartbreaking turn for Phogat and the Indian contingent.

What Went Wrong For Vinesh At The Final Day Of The 50 Kg Wrestling Event?

The wrestling events spread across two days require the wrestlers to undergo a weight test on both days. While Phogat cleared her test on Tuesday, she failed the test on the day of her final match. Apparently, the Indian wrestler had gained 2 kilos which she tried to lose overnight by undertaking activities like skipping and jogging. On the final day, Phogat was provided a window of 15 minutes to take the test as many times as she wished as per the rules. The team took drastic measures like cutting her hair and clothes but Phogat still weighed some grams above the 50 kg limit. Resultantly, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the tournament, sending shockwaves across India. Once carrying a promise of at least a silver medal, the disqualification meant that Phogat would end her campaign placed at the bottom in her category.

The gold medal match has now been shifted to accommodate Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman in the final, who had lost 5-0 to Phogat in the semi-final. Despite the setback, Vinesh Phogat will return to India as a champion. Social media has come alive in support of the wrestler, with notable names like India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, tweeting in support of Vinesh Phogat. As per the reports, India is in the process of filing an appeal against Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024.