• Source:JND
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In a shocking and devastating twist, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's historic Olympic journey was cut short when she was disqualified from the Paris 2024 Games due to weighing in above the limit for the women's 50kg final.

Just a day earlier, Vinesh had made history by becoming the first Indian woman to advance to the gold medal match in her event, setting up a highly anticipated showdown against USA's Sarah Hildebrandt.

However, her dreams of Olympic glory were shattered when she failed to make weight, rendering her ineligible to compete in the final.

At Paris Olympics, each weight category is organised over two competition days. The medical control and weigh-in for each category takes place in the morning of the first competition day. On the second competition day, wrestlers who have qualified for the finals and repechage are weighed in again.

The news of Vinesh Phogat's disqualification has shocked the nation, with many expressing their disappointment and support for her on social media.

Here are some reactions:

The 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra took to his X account and wrote, "Completely gutted . Sometimes u dont need a gold medal to be a true champion to people…."

Two-time Olympics medallist and Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu said Vinesh "will always be a champion" and wrote, "Dear @Phogat_Vinesh, you will always be a champion in our eyes. I was deeply hoping you could win the gold. The little time I spent with you at PDCSE was watching a woman with a superhuman will fight to get better. It was inspiring. I am here for you always, sending all the universe’s positivity your way."

According to the Indian Olympic Association, Phogat weighed approximately 100 grams above than the allowed limit. According to the rules, wrestlers must stay inside their weight classifications for both days of the event. As a result, Phogat will be ineligible for the silver medal match, leaving the 50kg category with only gold and bronze medal winners.