While the Asian Games are set from September 23 to October 8, this injury also sidelines Vinesh Phogat from the World Wrestling Championships 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia.
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Reigning Asian Games champion in the women’s 50 kg wrestling category, Vinesh Phogat, faced a setback in her journey as she confirmed her absence from the upcoming Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China. A recent training mishap on August 13, 2023, led to a serious injury to her left knee. As a result, she will be undergoing a necessary surgery set for August 17, 2023, in Mumbai.
She announced the disappointing news on social media and stated, “A couple of days ago, on 13th August 2023, I injured my left knee in training. After doing the scans and examinations, the doctor said that unfortunately, surgery is the only option for me to recover. I will be undergoing surgery on 17th August in Mumbai.” She further expressed her heartfelt regret, stating, “It was my dream to retain my Asian Games gold medal for India which I won in 2018 at Jakarta. But unfortunately, this injury has ruled out my participation now.” She has promptly notified the authorities to ensure a replacement athlete can step in for the games.
Vinesh Phogat further added, “I would like to request all the fans to continue supporting me so that I can make a strong comeback to the mat soon and prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Your support gives me a lot of strength.” Vinesh has a commendable record with two bronze medals at the World Wrestling championships and another from the Asian Games 2014 in Incheon.
Originally set to compete in the 53kg category in Asian Games 2022, the 28-year-old Vinesh’s spot is now filled by Antim Panghal, the current under-20 champion, who had previously qualified through the selection trials for the Asian Games 2022. While the Asian Games are set from September 23 to October 8, this injury also sidelines Vinesh Phogat from the World Wrestling Championships 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia.
The World Championships, from September 16 to 24, is the preliminary qualifying round for the Paris 2024 Olympics, providing 90 Olympic quotas across 18 Olympic weight categories. However, these quotas are for national teams, leaving the decision of Olympic participation to national federations.
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