OLYMPIC DREAMS DASHED BY MERE 100 GM

Vinesh Phogat disqualified ahead of gold medal wrestling bout; WF files appeal

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In a devastating turn of events at the Paris Olympics, wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s dreams of Olympic glory were shattered when she was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg wrestling competition for being overweight by 100 gm. The shocking development came just hours after Phogat had made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach a gold medal bout in her category.

The 29-year-old athlete, competing in her third Olympics, was found to be 100 grams over the 50kg weight limit during the morning weigh-in on Wednesday. International wrestling rules are unforgiving in such situations, stipulating that any grappler found overweight at the time of weighin is automatically disqualified and placed at the bottom of the final standings.

The news sent shockwaves through the Indian Olympic contingent and wrestling community. Vinesh, who had been assured of at least a silver medal following her remarkable performance on Tuesday night, now faces the heartbreak of returning home empty-handed. Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic journey has been fraught with challenges. Her debut in Rio 2016 ended prematurely due to a severe injury, while her Tokyo 2020 campaign concluded with an unexpected early defeat.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) released a statement expressing regret over the disqualification. “Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning,” the IOA stated, requesting privacy for the wrestler during this difficult time.