Paris Olympics 2024: Why Did Vinesh Phogat Compete in the 50kg Category?

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat usually weighs around 55-56 kilograms. She started competing in the 48kg category, then fought in the 55kg category, and recently competed in the 50kg category at the Paris Olympics. This raises the question: Why did Vinesh, who normally weighs 55kg, need to compete in the 50kg category?

Vinesh Phogat did not win a medal at the Paris Olympics. She reached the final in the 50kg category but was disqualified before the match because she was 100 grams over the weight limit.

Vinesh is one of the world’s top wrestlers and has won many medals. She only competes in the 50kg and 53kg categories. If there had been clear rules, she might have competed in the 53kg category at the Paris Olympics. Questions about this came up after Vinesh’s statement in March.

Vinesh won the 50kg trial for the Paris Olympics, but she also placed in the top 4 in the 53kg category. Due to unclear rules, she had to try out for both categories. Vinesh was unsure which category she could compete in, so her Olympic participation depended on this decision.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Vinesh competed in the 48kg category. In 2018, she won a gold medal in the 50kg category at the Asian Games. A year later, she won a bronze medal in the 53kg category at the 2019 World Championship because of weight changes.

To avoid constant weight changes, Vinesh decided to compete in the 53kg category after the Asian Games. She won a bronze medal in the 53kg category at the 2022 World Championship. However, her comeback was delayed due to an injury and a protest against the former Wrestling Federation of India president.

After the Asian Games, Vinesh chose to stay in the 53kg category. She won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championship, which made her eligible to compete in the 53kg category at the Paris Olympics. However, the Wrestling Federation of India’s rules allowed only certain wrestlers to compete in specific categories.

Later, Vinesh faced confusion because wrestling was managed by an ad-hoc committee at that time. The committee promised trials for the 53kg category, but after the Wrestling Federation of India elections, the committee’s decision was changed.

Vinesh believed that the Wrestling Federation of India would not guarantee her a spot in the 53kg category. If that happened, she could have competed in the 50kg or 57kg categories. Vinesh chose the 50kg category, which she last competed in during 2018.

Vinesh, who is 29 years old, said she had no clear information about the 53kg quota or trials. Normally, quotas are won by the country, but no trials were held before. The ad-hoc committee said that trials would not happen this time. Vinesh had no other option but to compete in the 50kg category to keep her Olympic dream alive.

Maintaining a weight of 50kg is very challenging. United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic said that it’s not just about one kilogram, but having to cut a large amount of weight to be just 100 grams under the limit, which caused problems.