New Delhi: “The talk of the wrestling world,” was how Vinesh Phogat was introduced when she walked into the Champ-de-Mars Arena in Paris for her Olympic semi-final bout. Vinesh reached where no other Indian female wrestler has — final at the Olympic Games. She got there after doing what no other wrestler had – beating Yui Susaki, who hadn’t seen defeat in international bouts until Tuesday.
Speaking to ESPN after the game, Bajrang Punia said, “She told me ‘I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself, my career is done and this is my last Olympics. I want to fight for the young women wrestlers who will come and fight for them so that they can wrestle safely. That’s why I was in Jantar Mantar, and that’s why I am here’.”
The match-up against legendary Yui Susaki was certainly not the toughest bout Vinesh had fought in her life. Taking on a powerful administrator, from the ruling party, is not easy. Vinesh knew what she was risking. But she was there, battling the harsh Delhi winters and sleeping under the trees near Jantar Mantar as she fought for honour, respect and safety.