New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Vinesh Phogat’s highly anticipated return to competitive wrestling ended in heartbreak on Saturday following a hard-fought 4-6 loss against Asian Championship silver medallist Meenakshi Goyat in the 53-kg semifinals of the Asian Games selection trials. The defeat leaves the seasoned wrestler just short of re-entering the national squad following the emotional trauma of her disqualification at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Stepping onto the competitive mat for the first time since Paris, Phogat’s campaign was marked by high drama even before the bouts commenced. During the official morning weigh-in, sports officials initially informed her that she could only compete in the 50-kg category. Phogat strongly objected, accusing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of institutional discrimination, which prompted an intervention from WFI President Sanjay Singh to clear her entry into the 53-kg division after she weighed in at 53.9 kg. Her entry followed a recent Delhi High Court directive instructing the federation to treat her as an “iconic player” and permit her participation.
Phogat opened her tournament with a comfortable 7-1 victory over Jyoti before surviving a chaotic, interruption-plagued quarterfinal against Nishu Kumari. Trailing 0-5 after a spectacular four-point throw by Kumari, Phogat mounted a fierce second-period comeback, nearly pinning her opponent before technical challenges and a refereeing oversight paused the match. Phogat eventually clinched a narrow 7-6 win on criteria, though the grueling nature of the match visibly impacted her stamina heading into the semifinals against Goyat. Despite her exit, Phogat remained resilient, stating she was fighting a biased system rather than her fellow athletes, and affirmed her intent to continue competing for at least another two years.
The 53-kg division concluded with further controversy in the final, where Antim Panghal secured her Asian Games berth by defeating Meenakshi Goyat 3-2. Goyat vehemently protested the refereeing decisions, drawing a red card from the mat chairman with less than two seconds remaining on the clock and initially refusing to leave the mat area. Following the conclusion of the trials, the WFI finalized the six-member women’s wrestling squad representing India at the upcoming Asian Games.
India’s Women’s Wrestling Squad for Asian Games:
- 50 kg: Dipanshee
- 53 kg: Antim Panghal
- 57 kg: Manisha Bhanwala
- 62 kg: Mansi Ahlawat
- 68 kg: Nisha Dahiya
- 76 kg: Priyal Malik
