Rising star of Indian women’s wrestling Vinesh Phogat suffered a major setback at the Paris Olympics 2024 when she was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle event just before the gold medal match. Despite her best efforts to meet the weight limit, Phogat weighed a few grams more than 50kg, which led to her disqualification.

Phogat’s journey at the Olympics was nothing short of spectacular. She had defeated world champion Yui Susaki of Japan in a stunning upset and booked her place in the final, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to achieve the feat. Her victories over competitors from Ukraine and Cuba had raised hopes of a historic gold medal for India.

However, a cruel twist of fate came when Phogat failed to meet the weight requirements on the day of the final bout. Despite spending nights trying to shed the extra weight through rigorous training, she could not make the cut, which eventually led to her disqualification.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over Phogat’s disqualification, saying, “Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are the pride of India and an inspiration to every Indian. Today’s setback hurts.” The Indian Olympic Association also released a statement regretting the incident and requested to respect Phogat’s privacy.

This heartbreaking setback is not the first time Phogat has faced challenges in her career. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she suffered a knee injury during her bout, forcing her to exit prematurely. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she lost in the quarterfinals, later citing mental health issues as the reason for taking a break from wrestling.

Despite these setbacks, Phogat has proven herself to be a determined athlete. Her journey has inspired countless young girls to take up wrestling and pursue their dreams. As she recovers from this latest setback, Phogat’s fans and supporters are hoping that she will bounce back stronger than ever and ready to write the next chapter of her illustrious career.