Phogat had starved herself for every week, exercised and spent hours within the sauna to chop the kilos from her regular 55-56kg to satisfy her competitors weight.
India’s Vinesh Phogat lopped off her hair and compelled herself right into a smaller singlet however nonetheless fell 100 grams in need of Olympic glory in a merciless twist to the rollercoaster profession of probably the most compelling wrestlers of her time, on the Paris Video games.
Whereas a billion-plus Indians went to mattress on Tuesday night time pondering they have been assured of a silver medal and dreaming of a gold from Phogat, the 29-year-old was doing every little thing she may to get beneath the 50kg mark.
Not one of the measures labored, nonetheless, and Phogat was disqualified on Wednesday with Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman, who she beat within the semifinals, changing her within the freestyle last towards Sarah Hildebrandt of the US.
It was a tragic finish to a marketing campaign that started with the most important upset of the competitors in Paris as Phogat shocked defending champion Yui Susaki in what was the Japanese grappler’s first loss to a foreigner.
Phogat had virtually starved herself for every week, exercised and spent hours within the sauna as a part of her regular course of to chop the kilos from her pure 55-56kg right down to her competitors weight.
“She was given some water to forestall dehydration earlier than her bouts on Tuesday and subsequently her weight elevated greater than regular,” stated Dinshaw Paudiwala, chief medical officer of the Indian delegation.
“We had tried all doable drastic measures all through the night time, together with reducing off her hair, shortening her garments however regardless of all of this we couldn’t make it.” Phogat was subsequently placed on a drip however was medically advantageous, he added.
After the match, the athlete introduced she was retiring.
“Wrestling received and I misplaced. My goals are shattered. I don’t have any extra energy,” Phogat wrote on X. “Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I’ll at all times be indebted to you all. I’m sorry.”
Indian athletes and authorities additionally expressed their help on social media following Wednesday’s disqualification
“Utterly gutted,” Abhinav Bindra, an Indian rifle shooter and winner of the lads’s 10-metre air rifle competitors on the 2008 Olympic Video games wrote on X. “Typically u dont want a gold medal to be a real champion to individuals.”
Utterly gutted . Typically u dont want a gold medal to be a real champion to individuals….
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 7, 2024
Geeta Phogat, who turned the primary feminine Indian wrestler to win a gold medal on the Commonwealth Video games in New Delhi in 2010, additionally confirmed her help.
Legend 🇮🇳🙏 @Phogat_Vinesh pic.twitter.com/d5s6st7at0
— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) August 8, 2024
PM Narendra Modi referred to her as a “champion amongst champions”.
Vinesh, you’re a champion amongst champions! You might be India’s satisfaction and an inspiration for every Indian.
Right this moment’s setback hurts. I want phrases may categorical the sense of despair that I’m experiencing.
On the similar time, I do know that you just epitomise resilience. It has at all times…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2024
