It was the year 2018, the Asian Games were being held in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Vinesh Phogat was then also participating in the 50 kg freestyle wrestling event. Before the first bout in the Jakarta Asian Games, Vinesh’s weight had increased by 3 and a half kilograms. Exactly the same thing happened to her during the final match of the Paris Olympics. But then her then coach turned off the AC and covered her with a blanket and made her run inside the wrestling hall, as a result of which Vinesh won the gold medal.
This is not the first time that Vinesh Phogat has faced problems due to her weight gain. Something similar happened to her during the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018, 6 years ago. Vinesh’s weight had increased during the Jakarta Asian Games. Just a day before Vinesh’s first bout, her weight had increased to about three and a half kilos. Vinesh Phogat’s coach at the 2018 Asian Games, Kuldeep Malik (right) Photo: Reuters
As soon as his then coach Kuldeep Malik came to know about this, he got worried. He thought about how to reduce so much weight. When these games were going on in Jakarta, the heat was not so much that he should be made to run so that he could sweat and his weight would be affected.
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Then coach Kuldeep Malik asked the organizers of Jakarta Asian Games to turn off the AC of the wrestling hall. Malik made Vinesh walk around in the closed hall for several hours with a blanket on her back. After this, Vinesh’s weight came under control and she later won the gold medal in this category. If her weight had not been under control during the first bout, then Vinesh might not have won another medal.
By the way, Vinesh has decided to retire from wrestling after being disqualified in the Paris Olympics. She announced this in an emotional post. Vinesh wrote in her post – Maa wrestling won over me, I lost, forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I do not have any more strength left. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. She apologized and said that I will always be indebted to all of you.
Mom won the wrestling match against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now.
Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024 🙏
I will always be indebted to you all, sorry 🙏🙏
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 7, 2024
Vinesh Phogat has this title and medal in her name
29-year-old Vinesh Phogat first won a medal at the junior level in 2013, at the age of 18. She has also won a hat-trick of medals in the Commonwealth.
World Championship
Bronze medal – 2022 Belgrade-53 kg
Bronze medal – 2019 Nur-Sultan 53 kg
asian games
Gold Medal- 2018 Jakarta-50kg
Bronze Medal- 2014 Incheon- 48 kg
Commonwealth Games
Gold Medal – 2014 Glasgow- 48 kg
Gold Medal – 2018 Gold Coast-50kg
Gold Medal – 2022 Birmingham-53 kg
Asian Championships
Gold Medal – 2021 Almaty – 53 kg
Silver Medal – 2015 Doha – 48 kg
Silver Medal – 2017 New Delhi- 55kg
Silver Medal – 2018 Bishkek-50kg
Bronze Medal – 2013 New Delhi- 51kg
Bronze Medal – 2016 Bangkok- 53 kg
Bronze Medal – 2019 Xi’an-53 kg
Bronze Medal – 2020 New Delhi- 53kg
youth wrestling championship
Silver Medal – 2013 Johannesburg – 51 kg
If Vinesh is not disqualified then…
If star wrestler Vinesh Phogat had not been disqualified, she was to face a wrestler from America. In such a situation, after Phogat reached the final, it was believed that she would win the gold medal. Vinesh defeated Cuban wrestler Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semi-finals of the women’s 50 kg freestyle event on Tuesday. Vinesh’s final was to be against USA’s Ann Sarah Hildebrandt on Wednesday (7 August). Earlier, she defeated Olympic champion and four-time world champion Yui Susaki in 50 kg in the pre-quarterfinals.
When you achieve something that is far more important than any medal 🥇
This is what you have achieved my friend @Phogat_Vinesh ,
so proud of you.
Let us give it such a warm welcome that every athlete of this country, regardless of win or loss, can proudly say “This is my India 🇮🇳” pic.twitter.com/uWAIjKHg6R– Sona Sood (@SonuSood) August 7, 2024
Vinesh’s attempt to lose weight failed
Vinesh weighed 52 kg on Tuesday night (August 6), she tried to reduce her weight by cycling, skipping etc., but she could not succeed. Gagan Narang, Dinshaw Pardiwala, her husband, physio, medical staff, IOA officials, people present in India, OGQ (Olympic Gold Quest) worked overnight to reduce her weight.
Dr Pardiwala even said that we cannot put her life in danger. Media reports have also revealed that they tried everything possible. Vinesh was in pain as her body was breaking down, she went to the sauna as a last ditch effort. After this her health deteriorated, after which she was admitted to the Olympic Village Polyclinic in Paris. She had reached the final of 50 kg wrestling. On the second day of the event, Vinesh’s weight was found to be 100 grams more in the 50 kg category.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)