'Not easy': Vinesh Phogat says maintaining her weight will be a challenge ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics

Vinesh Phogat would have eased some pressure off her shoulders after securing a Paris Olympics quota , but the wrestler believes it will be a challenge to maintain her wight after she dropped to the 50kg category. Vinesh was impressive at the Asian Olympic Wrestling Qualifiers recently, having ended up not conceding a single point across her three bouts.

Vinesh, however, had missed out on mat-time for one and a half years due to the wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and during this time, Antim Panghal secured an Olympic quota in the 53kg category, a category in which Vinesh used to compete.

The most successful woman wrestler from the country had no option but to switch the weight category to ensure that she does not miss the bus to Olympics.

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“I will have to manage my weight a lot better. I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It’s not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is very high,” Vinesh said after winning the 50kg quota for India.

“Because of that, I gain weight easily. It doesn’t matter how fit I am, I still gain weight because I have a lot of muscle mass. I just want to control my weight. I have four months left, and every day is very important,” she was quoted as saying by official UWW website.

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“I did the weight switch because I didn’t have any option, not out of happiness. But I won a quota for my country in the 50kg category. I am happy that I can go to the Olympics. Whether I go in the 50kg category or in the 53kg category, that will be decided in the trials, but, whatever it is, I won a quota for my country.”

Vinesh has already suffered heartbreaks at the Rio Olympics and Tokyo Games where she was eliminated quite early despite being a medal favourite.

Now she wants to complete the unfinished business. “I just want to try my best. It’s been 20 years since I’ve been wrestling. I just want an Olympic medal. Everyone is working for that.”

Vinesh had claimed that she fought depression and was even struck by COVID-19 and add to that the prolonged protest and legal battle against the then WFI chief, the mental pressure was immense.

She still came out and performed in Bishkek. “It was difficult but when you win, everything becomes worth it. I will say that I will be at peace for four to five days, but my main target is the Olympics. I will try to do what I couldn’t do in the last two Olympics. I can do better at this Olympics.”

Vinesh dismissed the view that it was an easy job for her in Bishkek since strong wrestlers were not part of the competition.

“Competition is competition. It is not that only if China and Japan are competing alongside you that it becomes a competition. Everyone becomes strong on the mat.”

She is one of the most accomplished woman wrestlers from India with two Worlds medals, several Asian and Asian Games titles to her name.

Now she is determined to add that missing Olympic medal to her bulging trophy cabinet.

“It’s taken so much hard work and struggle. I have been away from the mat for 1-1/2 years. I have come back after an operation. Many people have suggested that I should not go in the 50kg category because I could get injured again.

“But I did not have any option. It was a do-or-die situation. I chose the die option.”

With PTI inputs