New Delhi: “Main wapis aaungi (I will come back),” a fiery Vinesh Phogat told Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials to their face, pointing her finger at the mat and walking away carrying an aura few Indian sportspersons can match.
On a day of intense drama on and off the mat, when Vinesh reignited the fire within her, almost two years after her disqualification before the final at the Paris Olympics, the defining image was Vinesh sending this message to WFI in full public glare, stepping back onto the mat after losing a gripping semi-final against Asian Championships medallist Meenakshi Goyat in the Asian Games selection trials at the IG stadium here.
There was a strange satisfaction on her tired face, with almost a smirk, as if she was daring the federation to keep throwing challenges at her, and she would be ready for every fight.
A combative Vinesh contested three bouts on Saturday, winning the first two before losing in the semi-final. Though she will not be travelling for the Asian Games in Japan, the manner in which she fought on Saturday suggested she is far from finished.
A lean frame, renewed hunger and sharp attacks left little doubt that the two-time World Championships medallist, returning after motherhood, has worked relentlessly to stay fighting fit at 31 and ready for the elite level. Spectators and Vinesh’s supporters cheered her every move at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.
Tempers ran high over a few refereeing decisions and Vinesh challenged them. She won some and lost some. Her husband, former wrestler Somveer Rathi, stood rock solid behind her in support. WFI president Sanjay Singh, sitting alongside observers from the Indian Olympic Association and Sports Authority of India, intervened to calm things down. Security personnel were on hand to maintain order.
It was a fight Vinesh started the day she announced her comeback to competition. The unfulfilled dream of an Olympic medal has brought her back to wrestling, having announced her retirement after Paris. Armed with an order from the Supreme Court to compete in the selection trials, Vinesh faced a fresh obstacle on Saturday when WFI told her to give her weigh-in at 50kg. Vinesh, who had come prepared to compete in 53kg, challenged that directive. The federation showed a circular dated May 28 where her entry was listed at 50kg, having competed in two international meets and at the Paris Olympics in that division. “I have not received any circular. Why wasn’t I sent a copy? There are many wrestlers here who are competing after a change of weight class, so why am I being stopped?” Vinesh argued.
WFI insisted she had not even submitted her entry for the trials. Vinesh argued that she had the court’s mandate and that she would compete only in 53kg. The drama continued for 45 minutes in the morning before WFI relented and she was able to make it under the federation’s one-kg weight tolerance for the trials.
Stepping onto the mat for the first time since Paris, Vinesh beat Jyoti 7-1. She assessed her opponent and then launched attacks in the second period for an easy win. She then beat U-23 world champion Nishu in a thrilling contest.
Nishu brought Vinesh down with a fast attack and almost had the pin, only for the whistle to be blown at the end of the first period. She led 5-0, but Vinesh came back with a four-point throw. She had the chance to pin down Nishu in the danger zone, but she escaped when the action was called off. Vinesh’s camp erupted against the referee’s decision and challenged it. Since morning, the video referral system had not worked smoothly due to a technical glitch, and it added to the rising tempers in the hall. Vinesh won the challenge and added two more points, eventually winning the bout on criteria at 6-6.
Asian Championships silver medallist Meenakshi Goyat was next and she pulled off a fantastic win in a similarly frantic, fast-paced bout. Vinesh first conceded a point for passivity before Meenakshi pushed her out twice. She took a 4-1 lead before Vinesh scored from a scramble. She gave everything towards the end but lost 4-6, losing her challenge. There were repeated interruptions and challenges from both corners with Vinesh even moving towards the mat officials. In the final, Meenakshi lost to Antim Panghal in another highly charged bout, with the former claiming that the fight was hers.
With fans surrounding her, Vinesh sat there numb after the loss. Soon, she was talking about the future and that she would return better prepared. As she left the arena, there was a smile, knowing she is well and truly back and that her target is the LA Olympics.
