Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on social media today, calling time on a medal-laden career following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics.
The 29-year-old had reached the final of the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling event in Paris, but was disqualified after she failed to make weight on the morning of her gold medal bout.
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One of India's greatest-ever wrestlers, Vinesh retires without an Olympic medal, but her list of achievements in a senior career spanning 11 years is impressive. She was the first Indian woman wrestler to participate in three Olympics, the first to reach an Olympic final, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the Asian Games, and the only Indian woman with multiple world championship medals in wrestling.
Here are all the accolades Vinesh won over her career:
Olympics
2024 Paris Olympics - Final* (50kg)
Vinesh reached the final of the 2024 Paris Olympics on the back of a stunning 3-2 win over Yui Susaki of Japan in the round-of16 bout, bringing an end to the defending Olympic champion's unbeaten (84-0) record. Vinesh went on to beat Oksana Livach and Yusneylys Guzman of Cuba to become the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final in wrestling.
*Vinesh was later disqualified from the Olympics after failing to make weight on the morning of her gold medal bout.
2020 Tokyo Olympics - QF (53 kg)
Vinesh went in as the world no. 1 but lost in the quarterfinal to two-time world champion Vanesa Kaladzinskaya of Belarus (who went on to win bronze).
2016 Rio Olympics - QF (48kg)
Making her Olympic debut as a 21-year-old, Vinesh had to drop weight categories. In the 48kg quarterfinal against Sun Yanan of China, Vinesh suffered an ACL tear and had to bow out. She was conferred the Arjuna Award later that year.
World Championships
2022 Belgrade Worlds - Bronze (53kg)
Vinesh lost to eventual silver medallist Batkhuyagiin Khulan of Mongolia in the first round but went on to win bronze via the repechage route, defeating two-time European champion Jonna Malmgren of Sweden - and thus became the only Indian woman wrestler with multiple world championship medals.
2019 Nur-Sultan Worlds - Bronze (53kg)
Vinesh qualified for the Tokyo Olympics on the back of her bronze at the 2019 Worlds, which came about after a loss to three-time world champion and Tokyo gold medallist Mayu Mukaida of Japan. Vinesh beat Paris gold medallist Sarah Hildebrandt and three-time worlds medallist Maria Prevolaraki of Greece in the repechage to win bronze.
Asian Games
2018 Jakarta - Gold (50kg)
Vinesh achieved some catharsis by defeating Sun Yanan (whom she had lost to in the Rio Olympics after her ACL injury) in the Ro16, and eventually beat two-time Asian champion Yuki Irie in the final. It was Vinesh's first gold medal at the Asiad and the first gold by an Indian woman wrestler in Asian Games history.
2014 Incheon - Bronze (48kg)
A 20-year-old Vinesh became only the third Indian woman to medal at the Asian Games in wrestling, taking bronze via the repechage route after losing to three-time world champion and Rio Olympics gold medallist Eri Tosaka of Japan.
Vinesh Phogat, a champion wrestler �� pic.twitter.com/b0s6J6amZG
- ESPN India (@ESPNIndia) August 8, 2024
Commonwealth Games
2022 Birmingham - Gold (53kg)
Following the heartbreak of Tokyo and her subsequent tiff with the WFI, Vinesh bounced back by becoming the first Indian woman to win three CWG golds, defeating worlds medallist Samantha Stewart of Canade en-route.
2018 Gold Coast - Gold (50kg)
Vinesh was making her comeback after the injury heartbreak of Rio and responded in some style, winning all her bouts and defeating former world champion Jessica MacDonald of Canada to win gold.
2014 Glasgow - Gold (48kg)
Just a month shy of her 20th birthday, Vinesh achieved the biggest victory of her career till then by claiming gold (48kg) in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, defeating two-time European medallist Yana Rattigan of England in the final.
Asian Wrestling Championships
Vinesh has medalled in every Asian Championships she has entered - earning four bronze (2014 - her first international medal, 2016, 2019, 2020), three silver (2015, 2017, 2018) and a solitary gold in 2021.
Personal accolades
Vinesh became the first Indian to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award in 2019, and in 2022 was also nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year.
Vinesh was conferred the Arjuna Award in 2016 and was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020 - both awards that she returned (left near the Prime Minister's Office) during the wrestler protests in 2023.