Vinesh might die: Indian wrestler's coach reveals shocking details of Olympics

New Delhi: Vinesh Phogat made history by reaching the final of the 50-kg freestyle wrestling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, the 29-year-old wrestler's dream of securing an Olympic medal was shattered when she was disqualified just hours before the final match. On Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification, ending her hopes of claiming a belated silver medal.

Coach Woller Akos reveals struggles behind scenes

On Thursday, Vinesh Phogat’s coach at the Paris Games, Woller Akos, shared a harrowing account of the challenges Phogat faced in the lead-up to her disqualification. In a Facebook post, originally written in Hungarian and later removed, Akos detailed the extreme measures Phogat undertook to make weight for the final. 

"After the semi-final, she had 2.7 kg of excess weight. Despite exercising for an hour and twenty minutes, 1.5 kg still remained. Even after 50 minutes in the sauna, she couldn’t sweat anymore. From midnight until 5:30 in the morning, she worked on different cardio machines and wrestling moves, taking short breaks. She collapsed multiple times, but we pushed her to continue. At one point, I genuinely feared she might die," Akos wrote.

What had Vinesh said before finals?

Akos also shared a poignant conversation he had with Phogat after a visit to the hospital. "Vinesh told me, ‘Coach, don’t be sad. You told me that if I ever find myself in a difficult situation, I should remember that I beat the best woman wrestler in the world, Japan’s Yui Susaki. I proved that I am one of the best. Medals are just objects; my performance can never be taken away,’" Akos recounted.

Akos also revealed Phogat's emotional plea to fellow wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia. "Vinesh begged Sakshi and Bajrang not to throw their hard-earned Olympic medals into the river, urging them to keep those symbols of their hard work. But they explained to her that the journey was what mattered most, not the medals," he wrote.

Legacy beyond medals 

Despite the heartbreak, Akos concluded with pride in Phogat's achievements, emphasizing that their professional program led to an Indian woman wrestler reaching the Olympic final for the first time in history. "We will always be proud that we beat the best woman wrestler in the world and made history for India," he added.