Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was born on August 25, 1994. Vinesh Phogat is renowned for being the first female Indian winner of gold medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games.
She is also the only female wrestler from India to have won multiple World Wrestling Championship medals. She created history in 2019 when she was the first athlete from India to be nominated for a Laureus World Sports Award.
Vinesh Phogat
Age: 29
DOB: August 25, 1994
Sport: Wrestling
Spouse: Somvir Rathee
Birthplace: Balali
MEDAL RECORDS
| Tournament |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| World Championships | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Asian Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Commonwealth Games | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian Games | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Early Life
Phogat comes from a wrestling family rich in tradition; his cousins have all won medals at the Commonwealth Games and garnered international recognition.
Vinesh Phogat, daughter of wrestler Rajpal Phogat and cousin to Geeta and Babita, hails from a wrestling family facing community opposition in Haryana. Her cousin Ritu is also an international wrestler. Vinesh married fellow wrestler Somvir Rathee in 2018. She overcame a career-threatening ACL injury at the Rio Olympics.
Personal Life
On December 13, 2018, Vinesh Phogat married her long-time boyfriend, Somvir Rathee, a fellow wrestler from Bakhta Khera village in Jind district. Somvir is a two-time national championship gold medalist. The couple, who have known each other since 2011, both work for the Indian Railways, where they met and fell in love.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
- 2013: Asian Wrestling Championships, Bronze medal
- 2013: Commonwealth Wrestling Championships, silver medal
- 2014: Commonwealth Games, gold medal
- 2014: Asian Games, bronze medal
- 2015: Asian Championships, silver medal
- 2018: Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, gold medal
- 2018: Asian Games, gold medal
- 2019: Asian Wrestling Championships, bronze medal
- 2019: World Wrestling Championships, bronze medal
ROAD TO PARIS OLYMPICS
On August 13, Vinesh Phogat injured her ACL and underwent surgery. After months of painful rehab and training, she faced a new challenge: the 53kg Olympic quota had been claimed by Antim Panghal. Vinesh had three options: move to the 57kg category, hope for a trial to reclaim 53kg, or drop to 50kg. She chose the latter, won the 50kg trials, and secured the Olympic quota at the Asian qualifiers in Bishkek.
Training and Preparation
After competing at the Grand Prix of Spain 2024 in Madrid. Phogat will travel to France for a 20-day training session in preparation for the Paris Olympics.
Events at Paris Olympics 2024
| Date | Rounds | Venue |
| 6 August (11:30 AM IST) | WFS 50kg 1/8 Final | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
| 6 August (12:30 PM IST) | WFS 50kg 1/4 Final | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
| 6 August (6:55 PM IST) | WFS 50kg Semifinal | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
| 7 August (11:00 AM IST) | WFS 50kg Repechage | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
| 7 August (8:00 PM IST) | WFS 50kg Bronze Medal Match | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
| 7 August (9:15 PM IST) | WFS 50kg Final | Champ-de-Mars Arena |
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Future Prospects
Vinesh Phogat reduced her weight from 53 kg to 50 kg for the Paris Olympics. After competing in the mega event, the Indian wrestler will decide whether to continue in the 50 kg category or switch to another weight class.
