Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat faced a devastating setback at the Paris Olympics 2024 when she was disqualified for being slightly overweight in the 50kg freestyle wrestling category. Despite her efforts to meet the weight limit, including skipping meals and running, Vinesh was found to be 100 grams over the limit during her second weigh-in. Indian officials requested additional time from the Olympic committee, but their appeals were unsuccessful. Vinesh’s disqualification ended her hopes of securing a medal, even though she had previously guaranteed herself at least a silver by reaching the final.
Vinesh’s journey to the final was marked by remarkable performances, including a historic victory over Japanese wrestler Yui Susaki, a four-time world Olympic champion, in what was considered one of the biggest upsets of the Games. She then defeated Oksana Livach of Ukraine to secure her place in the semifinals, where she outperformed Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. However, the dream was cut short when she was found overweight by just 100 grams, leading to her disqualification and ending her medal prospects.
This disqualification is a heartbreaking turn of events for Vinesh, who had worked tirelessly to compete in the 50kg category, having typically competed in the 53kg category. Her efforts and historic wins had raised hopes and aspirations not only for herself but for the entire nation of 1.4 billion people. The incident underscores the stringent rules of the competition and the narrow margins that can impact an athlete’s career, leaving Vinesh and her supporters with shattered dreams despite her incredible achievements on the mat.
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