Vinesh Phogat is set to create history on the intervening night of 7th and 8th August 2024. If more people know her as the girl who took on the all powerful WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh rather than for her wrestling prowess then our subservient electronic media is to blame. But that is now a thing of the past. Her story is now forever etched in the psyche of Indian sports lovers as the woman who took on the system, was chastised, sullied, derided outnumbered and wrestled to the ground by the police for daring to stand up against alleged sexual harassment in the wrestling establishment, she did the unthinkable in Paris.
She has now become the first Indian woman to enter an Olympic wrestling final. After defeating Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semi-final she will meet Sarah Ann Hilderbrandt of the US in the final. She will be carrying the hopes and prayers of a billion plus Indians who would be awake tonight to see their Vinesh win first wrestling gold for India.
Nothing in Indian sport can rival what Vinesh has achieved with her gold-medal shot in Paris for thousands of girls. The story of her grit and determination is now a part of a folklore that will be told to the generations to come.
