Headline maker Vinesh Phogat is all set to accomplish her dream and that is by winning a medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Phogat, similar to her family members and wrestlers Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, has shone on the big stage and is the first woman to win gold in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. Phogat has won various medals for her performances on the mat and this year, she has her eyes set on gold on the grandest stage of all, the Olympics. Phogat and her family members have defied all odds and have made India proud on many occasions. Billions will once again hope for Phogat to make her nation proud.
For her performances, Phogat is the number one ranked wrestler in the world at the moment. She became the first Indian athlete to be nominated for the illustrious Laureus World Sports Award in 2019. Phogat has also been bestowed with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Award in 2020 and the Arjuna Award in 2016. She was also nominated for the Padma Shri Award by the Sports Authority of India in 2018 for her achievements that year.
Age - 26
Sports/Discipline - Wrestling
Working Ranking - 1
First Olympic Games - 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
Major Achievements
World Championships
— Bronze - 2019 World Wrestling Championsips
Asian Wrestling Championships
— Gold - 53 KG, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2021
— Bronze - 53 KG, New Delhi, 2020
— Bronze - 53 KG, Xi’an, 2019
— Silver - 50 KG, Bishek, 2018
— Silver - 55 KG, New Delhi, 2017
— Bronze - 53 KG, Bangkok, 2016
— Silver - 48 KG, Doha, 2015
— Bronze - 51 KG, New Delhi, 2013
Commonwealth Games
— Gold - Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, 2018
— Gold - Glasgow Commonwealth Games, 2014
Asian Games
— Gold - 50 KG, Jakarta Asian Games, 2018
— Bronze - 48 KG, Incheon Asian Games, 2014
Tokyo Olympics Qualification
In 2020, Vinesh Phogat had become the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as she beat at the time World No. 1 Sarah Ann Hildebrandt 8-2. Her superb and superlative defensive skills have always been a beauty to watch and did not allow her opposition to take control of her. Phogat had was placed in a challenging 53 kg draw, she won the first repechage by beating Ukraine’s Yuliia Khavaldzhy Blahinya 5-0.
Recent Performances
On June 11, Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal in the 53KG division in the Poland Open which has given the Indian wrestler the much-needed preparation before the Tokyo Olympics. Phogat won the final of Poland open by beating Ukraine’s Ekaterina Poleshchuk 8-0 in the finals. Phogat also won gold in March by winning the Matteo Pellicone event. It was after her wins, Phogat jumped 14 points to become the No. 1 wrestler in the world.
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