There will be no historic medal for Vinesh Phogat as the Indian wrestler will be disqualified from competing in the women’s 50kg gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday due to failing to meet the weight requirements.
As per The Indian Express, Phogat was judged to have been overweight after her dream run on Tuesday. Although before her campaign began, she had made the weight, according to the rules, wrestlers have to maintain that weight over the course of the two competition days.
When being weighed on the second day, the 30-year-old wrestler was judged to have been over the 50kg weight limit by 100 grams and was subsequently disqualified.
The Indian Olympic Association released a statement confirming Phogat’s disqualification.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class,” read the statement. “Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.”
As per the rules, Phogat now will not be eligible for any medal and her semi-final opponent Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman Lopez will play the gold medal match against United States’ Sarah Hildebrandt.
Besides, the two other opponents Phogat beat – Japan’s Yui Susaki and Ukraine’s Oksana Livach – will go up against each other in the bronze medal match instead of a repechage.
Phogat had become the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics on Tuesday.
She had shocked the wrestling world on Tuesday when she knocked out top seed and defending Olympic champion Susaki of Japan in the opening round.
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