Vinesh Phogat is an Indian freestyle wrestler. She is a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Asian Games gold medalist, and World Wrestling Championships bronze medalist. She is the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Vinesh is also the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympics. She has been honored with the Arjuna award and Rajiv Gandhi
Whenever the word Wrestling comes to our mind, the first thing that comes is the movie ‘Dangal’. Its story is known to everyone about characters like Geeta and Babita. But today we are going to tell you about her cousin Vinesh Phogat, who is also a National Level Champion.
Vinesh Phogat is a name that needs no introduction in the world of wrestling. The Indian wrestler, who competes in the freestyle category, has made a name for herself on the international stage, with a string of impressive performances and numerous medals to her name.
Born in Haryana, India, Vinesh comes from a family of wrestlers, with her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari also making a name for themselves in the sport. Her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, is a former wrestler and coach, who has trained several international wrestlers, including his daughters.
Vinesh began her wrestling career at a young age, under the guidance of her father. She quickly began to make a name for herself in the Indian wrestling scene, winning numerous national championships and making her way onto the Indian national team.
In 2014, Vinesh made her international debut at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she won a bronze medal in the 48 kg category. This was just the beginning of her international success, as she went on to win a gold medal at the 2015 Asian Wrestling Championships, and a bronze at the 2016 Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The year 2016 proved to be a pivotal one for Vinesh, as she won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship, and silver at the Asian Wrestling Championship. Her performances at these tournaments earned her a spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she competed in the 48 kg category. Despite not winning a medal, her performance at the Olympics was a major step forward for her, and she gained recognition as a top female wrestler in India.
Vinesh continued to impress on the international stage, winning a gold medal at the 2017 Asian Wrestling Championship, and a bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In the 2018 Asian Games, she won a gold medal in the 50 kg category, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in the Asian Games.
Her success at the Asian Games earned her the Arjuna Award, one of the highest sporting honors in India, and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India.
Despite her success, Vinesh faced a major setback in 2019, when she suffered a knee injury during the World Wrestling Championship. The injury forced her to take a break from the sport, and she underwent surgery to repair her knee.
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Vinesh's Comeback
Vinesh made a comeback in 2020, competing in the 53 kg category. She won a gold medal at the National Wrestling Championship and a bronze at the Asian Wrestling Championship. Her comeback was also significant as she qualified for the 2020 Olympics but due to the covid pandemic the Olympics were postponed to 2021.
Vinesh's determination and perseverance in the face of injury are a testament to her dedication to the sport. She has proven time and again that she is a force to be reckoned with on the international stage, and she continues to be a role model for young wrestlers in India.
Off the mat, Vinesh is known for her humble and down-to-earth personality. She is a role model for young girls in India, and she has been vocal about the importance of education and the need for more support for female athletes in India.
Battling period of Vinesh Phogat
Period cramps assaulted the body, leaving it hungry for food, with a damaged knee, recollections of a vicious concussion from the past, a perplexed rival, and eventually a bronze medal.
She began her periods while traveling through Dubai on her route to Belgrade for the Worlds, which began the bizarre chain of events (or "table waale circumstances"). She quips, "Kabhi Kabhi lagtaa hai, ladka hoti to achha Hota (Sometimes I think it would have been better if I was a guy)" in an attempt to escape the menstrual threat that female athletes must face. In Dubai, she adds, "I took period-stopping drugs for the first time, but it occurred, and I felt all the hard work of the last 10 months is gone."
Her attempts to lose weight — starvation, dehydration, and intense exercise — added to her frailty and period stomach pains, making it difficult for her to recuperate before her initial match, which she lost 0-7. "I didn't hold back and I gave it everything I had on the mat, but sometimes the body simply gives out.
Athletes who are women experience it. "Some don't mention, some survive," or "Koi koi bola nahi, koi survive kar jaate hai. Vinesh remained silent. Vinesh also lived. There was no way to get rid of the anxiety that would happen.
She remembers, "I couldn't recuperate in time and was exhausted and had lost hope. You must fervently hope that the opponent you lost against advances in the repechage. Vinesh saw Mongolian Khulan Batkhuyag behind 0-6 nonetheless. After that, things started to go well. She giggles as she recalls how she continued mumbling that the
Vinesh was practically anticipating his impending slip-up. She responds, half in humor, half out of terror, "I knew the body would strike back."
Against Emma Malmgren, it took place. She heard her knee crack as she was in the process of making her first toss against the Swede. Vinesh believes Malmgren was more frightened than she was by the loud cracking. "I believe she became more frightened after hearing that, and I noticed that she became off-balance. But because my body had warmed up so much, I was able to continue earning points.
The results show an 8-0 victory for bronze. "The knee swells for two to three days, then again for one to two months. Again," she says sarcastically. After the Olympics, an elbow operation seems simple in contrast. "The elbow surgery scarcely registered because I was so terrified of everything else going on around me. After the Rio Games, I underwent a painful operation. She recalls the "terrible time" of the Gandaa procedure. This time, I was concerned about various things, like "kaat do," "maar do," and "kuchh boora ni lagaa." She was cut open and stitched. The elbow dismissed everything.
Case of Sexual Harassment on Vinesh Phogat
Five of India's top wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Deepak Punia, wrote a letter to PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), regarding claims of sexual harassment made against the Wrestling Federation of India and its leader Brij Bhushan Saran Singh on Friday.
Olympic athlete Vinesh Phogat claims that the WFI president "mentally tormented and abused" her after she failed to bring home a medal in Tokyo, which led her to almost consider committing suicide.
Additionally, she requested that a committee be established by the IOA president to investigate claims of sexual harassment made against Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, the WFI president. The WFI, according to the letter, stole money meant for the contract payments of wrestlers.
5 things to know about Vinesh Phogat:
She comes from a family of wrestlers; she is the cousin of Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, the
subjects of the movie Dangal, and the niece of the great wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat.
After winning the Asian Games in 2018, she got married to the wrestler Somvir Rathee.
One of India's most decorated female wrestlers, her first significant triumph came in the form of a
gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 48 kg division. She was only 21 years old when
she made it to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
She has gotten stronger and stronger since moving from the 50 kg to the 53 kg division. She earned
three gold medals from the Commonwealth Games and one each from the Asian and Commonwealth
Games, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to do so. In Kazakhstan in 2019, she further earned
a bronze, her first World Championships medal.
She finished in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which raised hopes. She rose to the top
of her category in the world after winning gold in the 53kg division in a competition in Rome.
In 2016 and 2020, respectively, Vinesh Phogat received the Arjun Award and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India's highest athletic honor.
Vinesh Phogat's second World Championship medal - a first for an Indian woman - was so visceral in this soundless background din that she laughs uproariously thinking of the last few days. (Twitter/SAI Media)
Conclusion
In conclusion, Vinesh Phogat is a name that will be remembered in the annals of Indian wrestling for a long time to come. Her numerous achievements on the international stage, her determination, and her humility make her a role model for young wrestlers in India. With the postponed 2020 Olympics coming up, we can expect to see Vinesh Phogat making a big impact on the world stage.
