Vinesh Phogat clutches gold at the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics
The gold medal match was a high-stakes battle against Mariia Tiumerekova, a former Russian wrestler now competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete
Vinesh Phogat, an Indian wrestler, won a gold medal in the women’s 50kg category at the Grand Prix of Spain in Madrid on July 6 ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the final, she defeated Mariia Tiumerekova with a score of 10-5.
In her opening bout, Vinesh faced off against Pan-American champion Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba. She secured a convincing win by outscoring her opponent 12-4. This early triumph set the tone for her exceptional performance throughout the tournament.
Next, Vinesh squared off against Madison Parks, the silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The Canadian wrestler put up a fierce fight, but Vinesh executed a flawless move, pinning Parks to the mat and securing a victory by fall.
In the semifinals, Vinesh encountered another Canadian challenger, Katie Dutchak. The match was intense, as she outscored Dutchak 9-4, booking her spot in the finals.
The gold medal clash was a high-stakes battle against Mariia Tiumerekova, a former Russian wrestler now competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete. Despite a spirited fight from Tiumerekova, Vinesh emerged triumphant with a final score of 10-5, securing the top spot on the podium.
Following her training and competition in Spain, the 29-year-old Indian wrestler will head to France for a 20-day training stint in preparation for the Paris Games. Notably, this will be Vinesh’s third appearance at the Olympics, having previously competed in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Beyond her on-mat achievements, Vinesh’s journey to Spain was not without challenges. She faced visa issues while traveling, prompting her to seek urgent assistance via social media. “Dear authorities, I’m requesting for urgent help. I applied for my Schengen visa in Bangalore on 24th June. I have to leave tonight for a competition in Spain on 6th July but have no information on visa. “Requesting @mansukhmandviya @BangaloreFrance @MEABharat to help,” Vinesh posted on X.
She confirmed receiving her Schengen visa in a matter of hours. “I have just now received my Schengen visa. I would like to sincerely thank all the authorities who have helped me get the visa so quickly. Means a lot. Thank you @mansukhmandviya @BangaloreFrance @MEABharat @DGSAI, TOPS and MOC team,” she expressed her gratitude in another post on X.
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