She is the power-packed queen of the mat, and is being called India’s hope for a medal at the Olympics. The 21-year-old Vinesh Phogat is part of the sisterhood of wrestlers groomed to win since they were little girls growing up in Balali, Haryana.
The state is known for its sportsmen; and sportswomen like Vinesh Phogat, and her cousins--Babita and Geeta--have had to fight patriarchal attitudes to reach the top of their game. Now, even the naysayers will be glued to the screens on August 17th when she steps onto the mat to wrestle freestyle in the 48 kg category, taking on the best in the world.
And when--the less hopeful can say ‘if’--she wins a medal, she will be hailed as the nation’s daughter and pride. What sets this young woman apart from others is the sheer confidence she exudes. She is already one of the best and wants to better that. She burst into tears when she qualified for the Olympics. Not in joy; in anger! She had shown her critics what she’s made of. “It was my anger. I did it! Now can you question why Vinesh played?” she said to The Quint. Vinesh minces no words and shows what grit and determination a woman athlete is made of.
“No disrespect to anyone, but I consider myself the best in my weight category. My leg attacks—both single and double—are difficult to defend against. Ask my rivals,” she was quoted as saying to SportsKeeda. It’s tough not to be awed by this young woman who speaks from the heart. The grit and determination is writ large on her face, as is strength and training evident in her wrestling moves. But she’s also got a fun, cool side to her. Making funny videos and uploading them on her social media page.
Vinesh now wants to create history and be the first Indian woman to win a wrestling medal at the Olympics. For the generation of sportswomen she has already inspired, Vinesh Phogat is a woman of wins. Medal or no medal.