Vinesh Phogat made an impressive start to her quest of securing a place in India’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games after registering a convincing victory in the selection trials on Saturday.
The star wrestler, who was at the centre of a major controversy earlier in the day regarding her participation category, quickly put all distractions behind her and produced a dominant display on the mat to move one step closer towards representing India at the continental event.
Competing in the women’s 53kg category, Vinesh defeated Jyoti 7-1 in her opening bout and strengthened her bid for a place in the national team.
Vinesh Phogat begins Asian Games selection trials with dominant win
The experienced wrestler started cautiously against Jyoti and initially relied heavily on standing wrestling while assessing her opponent.
Vinesh opened her account with a push point on a counterattack before attempting a double-leg attack that failed to yield points. The momentum shifted significantly at the beginning of the second period when Vinesh was placed on the activity clock.
From that point onwards, the former world championship medallist completely took control of the contest. She successfully converted a right-leg attack into a takedown move to establish a 3-0 lead.
Jyoti attempted an aggressive comeback with a strong leg attack but Vinesh Phogat displayed excellent defensive awareness and strength to deny her opponent any significant scoring opportunities. Soon after, Vinesh capitalised on a counterattack and executed two quick scoring moves to extend her lead to 7-0.
Jyoti managed to score a late push-out point but the damage had already been done as Vinesh comfortably sealed a 7-1 victory. The win moves her into the next stage of the trials where she is set to face Nishu, who secured her place after defeating Riya by fall.
WFI reverses decision as Vinesh competes in 53kg category
Earlier in the day, Vinesh found herself involved in a dramatic standoff with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). During the official weigh-in process, the wrestler was initially informed that she would only be allowed to compete in the 50kg category because she had participated in that weight division during her recent international appearances, including the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh strongly opposed the decision and argued that she should be allowed to compete in the 53kg category. The matter eventually escalated before WFI president Sanjay Singh intervened and allowed her participation in the 53kg selection trials.
Following the decision, Vinesh Phogat successfully weighed in at 53.9kg and was accommodated in the 53kg draw. The winner of the trials will earn the opportunity to represent India at the Asian Games later this year.
Meanwhile, fellow Indian wrestling star Antim Panghal also made a strong statement in the trials by defeating Tannu in just 34 seconds through technical superiority.
Antim and Vinesh remain on course for a potential final showdown, although Vinesh will likely face a tough semifinal challenge against the talented Meenakshi Goyat if both continue their winning run.