Vinesh Phogat’s Bid for Olympic Gold Ends in Disqualification at Paris 2024
In a dramatic development at the Paris Olympics, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who created history by reaching the final of an Olympic event, was disqualified from the gold medal bout in the women’s freestyle 50-kg event for not meeting the weight conditions. This sudden disqualification turned to be quite a damper on the spirits of sports lovers in India, who were fast celebrating her journey into the final.
Weight Check Disappointment
Phogat was to meet the challenge against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA for the gold medal on August 7, 2024. However, in the morning weigh-in session, she was found 100 grams above the stipulated 50 kg. The provision under the rules of United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport, is that all athletes must weigh in the morning of their final and make the nominated weight limit or the athlete is disqualified and ranked last with no medal.
Phogat successfully reached the weight limit during the initial weigh-ins, which then allowed her to compete. Phogat went on to deliver some sterling performances as she beat reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan and Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinals. The decision, thus, nullified all the work and victories put in by her because she was disqualified.
The Weight Cutting Process
“Weight-cutting in wrestling is very common, as athletes usually compete in a lower weight class compared to their natural weight. This might sometimes offer a key edge, but it’s not without its concerns. Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the chief medical officer, said wrestlers were put through rigorous methods to reduce weight by caloric restriction, dehydration, and very heavy workouts.”.
Days before the final, Phogat struggled hard to meet the weight limit. Reports suggest she avoided food and even water, along with extensive exercises, which included skipping, cycling, and jogging rigorously, and even stayed in the sauna. In a desperate bid to slash weight, she cut her hair too to shed those extra grams. Despite these efforts, the rebound weight gain after her first competition was extreme and more than expected, which eventually led to her failure.
Reaction and Aftermath
The IOA issued a statement speaking something in the lines of regret for Phogat, saying that the team tried its best but she was a little over the weight. The statement asked to keep Phogat’s privacy out of this miserable condition. The incident has generated significant discussion on the pressures and expectations on athletes, especially in high-stake competitions like the Olympics.
Phogat, who had, for a long time, been one of the weapons India fielded in major meets, has seen enough heading into the Paris Games. She was actively involved in a massive protest against the then-Wrestling Federation of India president. That highlight also put a focus on several issues in the sport that have dogged the wrestlers. Despite these strains, her road to the Olympics was one of resolve and fight.
An Olympic Journey Ends in Heartbreak
This disqualification now becomes another continuing disappointing episode on her Olympic journey. She entered three Olympics and remained empty-handed, including in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, in which she actually planned to finish with a medal. The wrestler is 29, so she still has the potential to make it through to future Olympic events, but this disqualification puts a serious query to keep up the weight and performance at an elite level.
It will show how Phogat manages to bounce back from it and prepare herself for the upcoming competitions in the future. The next opportunity coming in 2028 in Los Angeles, she will be 34 years of age, and this would be her last chance to claim that elusive Olympic medal so far not in her kitty.
In essence, Vinesh Phogat’s exit from the Paris Olympics only signified in parallel that enormous pressures befall athletes with potential that can be, and transform into, struggling for excellence. Although her odyssey in Paris ended without any medals to show for, the glitter in her legacy in Indian wrestling and how she would continue to inspire future generations was intact. The wrestling community invests hope in every possible move that now must be taken as she gets back on her feet to recover her place among the best wrestlers in the world.
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