When we met an 18-year-old Vinesh Phogat in her rookie year at the National championships in Nandini Nagar, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, her cherubic smile belied her steely resolve. Hailing from Balali village in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, she had already built a reputation as a promising wrestler and showed it on the mat by claiming a National title.
By that time, the Phogat surname had become famous following Geeta’s 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medal and both Geeta and her sister Babita’s World championships bronze medals two years later. The general impression was that Vinesh was one of the Phogat sisters. Only a few knew that the youngster was a cousin of the famous Phogats and wanted to make a name for herself.
Vinesh, who turns 30 in August, has succeeded in achieving what she wanted. Her sound game, rock-like determination, smart thinking and a fearless approach ensured her rise. Within a few months, she took a bronze in the 51kg at the Asian championships to prove her mettle.
Since then, Vinesh has not looked back. She went on to become the first Indian woman wrestler to claim gold medals in both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games and two bronze medals in the World championships.
However, success at the Olympics has eluded her. In her Olympics debut in Rio 2016, she dislocated her knee in a 48kg quarterfinal bout and had to be stretchered off from the mat. Her injury looked so bad that her return to competitive wrestling seemed doubtful but she made a miraculous recovery.
A flop show in the Tokyo Olympics, where she competed in the 53kg category, followed by her suspension by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for ‘indiscipline,’ which was later revoked, spoiled her second appearance at the Games.
The dramatic loss of her medal after reaching the 50kg final in the Paris Olympics was shocking. She was disqualified (as per the United World Wrestling rules) after being overweight by only 100gm on the second day of the competition prior to her final. It was a never-before occurrence for an Indian wrestler in the Olympics.
Vinesh, returning from a knee surgery, always wanted to compete in the 53kg category and was keen to challenge Antim Panghal, who had secured a quota place in the same weight. Since the Union Sports Ministry had de-recognised the WFI and the sport was being run by an ad-hoc body, there was confusion as to whether there would be a trial between the quota place winner and a challenger prior to the Olympics (such a decision was a prerogative of the federation). Because of this, Vinesh, a two-time Worlds medallist in 53kg, chose to compete in the 50kg selection trials, bagging a quota place.
Nevertheless, her decision to drop down to 50kg was always a gamble as it potentially weakened her due to the significant weight loss of nearly seven kg from her normal body weight.
Ultimately, her gamble backfired. She sensationally stunned Japan’s World and Olympic champion Yui Susaki on her way to the title clash before seeing the script change unexpectedly the next morning.
An emotionally broken Vinesh decided to hang up her boots soon after her disqualification.
Vinesh’s life has not been one-dimensional. She has been a fighter off the mat too. Apart from successfully beating some career-threatening injuries, Vinesh, known for calling a spade a spade, showed her feisty nature as she famously stood up against alleged sexual harassment by former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. She was backed by other pre-eminent athletes, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia. Fighting for a cause she believed in, Vinesh literally took on the police on the streets of New Delhi. The spectacular scenes beamed on various television and digital channels and photos splashed in newspapers across the country triggered the debate over women sportspersons’ safety.
All through Vinesh’s battle for ‘justice,’ her wrestler husband Somvir Rathee provided unwavering support. Because of all her fights on and off the mat, Vinesh has emerged as a symbol of woman power and resilience.
