Main wapas aaungi: Vinesh exits Asian Games trials after semi-final defeat
Vinesh Phogat's hopes of securing a place in India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games came to an end on Saturday after she suffered a
Vinesh Phogat's hopes of securing a place in India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games came to an end on Saturday after she suffered a 4-6 defeat to Meenakshi Goyat in the women's 53kg semifinal at the selection trials in New Delhi. In a closely fought contest, Vinesh and Meenakshi traded points for much of the bout. Meenakshi, however, held her nerve in the decisive moments and stayed ahead when it mattered most, sealing a hard-fought victory to book her place in the final. Read Full Story The defeat marked a major setback for Vinesh, who had returned to competition determined to earn an Asian Games berth. Yet, as she walked off the mat, the former world champion and Olympic medallist left the crowd with a message that drew applause from those present. "Mai phir aaugi (I'll come back)," Vinesh said before leaving the arena. While Vinesh's campaign ended in the semifinals, Meenakshi remained on course for an Asian Games berth with her place in the final. Earlier in the day, Vinesh had marked her return to competitive wrestling in impressive fashion, overcoming two difficult bouts to reach the last four at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Competing for the first time since her heartbreaking Paris Olympics campaign, Vinesh opened with a commanding 7-1 victory over Jyoti in the Round of 16. Although she received a passivity warning early in the contest, she soon settled into her rhythm and comfortably controlled proceedings to advance to the quarterfinals. Her momentum was briefly interrupted when the review monitor on Mat 1 malfunctioned, delaying action for around 10 minutes. The quarterfinal against Nishu proved far more dramatic. Vinesh trailed 0-5 with three minutes remaining before mounting a spirited comeback. During a pinning attempt, the referee awarded her four points instead of allowing the move to continue. Believing she was entitled to more, Vinesh challenged the decision and won the review. Moments later, she executed an arm throw that fetched only two points instead of four. Her second challenge was unsuccessful, but she had done enough to narrow the gap and move into a 6-5 lead. The contest soon became embroiled in controversy. Vinesh's husband, Somvir Rathee, entered the field-of-play area to protest the officiating, while tensions escalated after officials reportedly failed to show footage they had promised to review.
The disagreement quickly developed into a verbal altercation involving Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh and members of Vinesh's camp. Amid the chaos, Vinesh maintained her composure and edged past Nishu 7-6 to keep her Asian Games hopes alive, only for Meenakshi to end her run in the semifinals later in the day. The bout against Nishu had been fiercely contested from the outset. The technically sound wrestler raced into a 5-0 lead and nearly pinned Vinesh after a sensational four-point throw in the opening period. Long stoppages caused by challenges and technical issues with the review screens, however, allowed Vinesh valuable recovery time. Nishu continued to control large stretches of the match with effective half-head locks, but Vinesh turned the tide in the second period with a powerful four-point throw that brought her back into contention. Another two-point move put her ahead 6-5 before the score moved to 6-6, leaving Vinesh in front on criteria. Nishu's final challenge was unsuccessful, and Vinesh emerged victorious. A visibly distraught Nishu refused to shake hands with either the referee or Vinesh and remained on the mat in tears after the bout.
The trials themselves were preceded by fresh controversy involving Vinesh and the WFI. Earlier on Saturday, the two-time World Championships medalist was informed that she would be allowed to compete only in the 50kg category, with officials citing the fact that she had participated in her last four international events, including the Paris Olympics, in that weight division. Vinesh strongly objected, accusing the federation of discrimination and insisting on competing in the 53kg category. The matter escalated before WFI president Sanjay Singh intervened and permitted her to enter the 53kg trials. Ends Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 30, 2026 16:47 IST
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