The Vinesh Phogat redemption: From controversial protests to coveted Olympic medal

She was acutely aware of the significance of her win in upending Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semi-finals. Overcome with emotion, she leaped into the air before collapsing onto the mat, tears streaming down her face.

On Tuesday, Vinesh P became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, securing her place with a commanding 5-0 victory over Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez. This semifinal triumph guarantees her at least a silver medal.

The bout began cautiously, but a passivity penalty on Lopez allowed Vinesh to score an early technical point after the Cuban wrestler chose not to take risks. At the end of the first period, Vinesh led 1-0. In the second period, she further solidified her control by adding four more points to clinch the match decisively.

Earlier, Vinesh advanced to the semifinals with two remarkable victories: first against reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan, and then against Ukraine's eighth-seeded Oksana Livach. It was a historic day for the tenacious Indian grappler, marked by her exceptional performances.

Over the past 18 months, Vinesh has navigated a series of formidable challenges. Until recently, the 29-year-old wrestler has been a prominent figure in protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Below is a detailed timeline of the events that have shaped her recent journey:

January 2023: On January 18, Vinesh, along with fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, initiated a protest at Jantar Mantar against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual misconduct and intimidation. They demanded his resignation and the dissolution of the WFI. The protest was temporarily suspended on January 21 after a meeting with then-Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who promised the formation of an Oversight Committee (OC) to investigate the allegations.

April 2023: The WFI announced that elections would be held in May following the submission of the OC report to the Sports Ministry. This announcement prompted Vinesh to delay her training plans in Sweden for the Asian Games and World Championships. On April 23, the wrestlers resumed their protest at Jantar Mantar.

May 2023: On the day of the inauguration of the new Parliament, Vinesh, Bajrang, Sakshi, and other wrestlers were detained by Delhi Police after attempting a march toward the building. Two days later, the wrestlers travelled to Haridwar and immersed their medals in the river Ganga as a symbolic gesture of protest.

June 2023: The wrestlers agreed to pause their protest after receiving assurances from the government that the police investigation into Brij Bhushan would be concluded and that the WFI elections would be held by June 30.

August 2023: Vinesh, who had received a direct entry to the Asian Games, suffered a knee injury during training, which prevented her from competing in the event in Hangzhou. The Indian Olympic Association's ad-hoc committee exempted Vinesh and Bajrang from the Asian Games trials. Concurrently, Brij Bhushan and Vinesh exchanged accusations over the WFI's suspension by United World Wrestling (UWW) due to the failure to hold timely elections.

December 2023: Following the election of Sanjay Singh, a supporter of Brij Bhushan, as the new WFI president, Vinesh and other wrestlers protested the outcome. Sakshi Malik announced her retirement, while Vinesh and Bajrang returned their Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards to the government in protest.

February 2024: In a positive turn, the UWW lifted the provisional suspension of the WFI, stipulating that no discriminatory actions would be taken against Bajrang, Sakshi, or Vinesh. Vinesh's return to competitive wrestling was marked by her gold medal victory in the 55kg category at the national championships, her first major win in over 16 months.

March 2024: In a remarkable feat, Vinesh competed in two Olympic weight categories, 50kg and 53kg, on the same day. She triumphed in the lighter division at the selection trials for both the Asian Wrestling Championships and the Asian Olympic Games qualifiers.

April 2024: Vinesh secured her Paris Olympics quota in the women's 50kg category by reaching the final at the Asian Olympic qualifier, where she defeated Laura Ganikyzy in the semifinals. The WFI announced that Olympic trials would not be conducted, and wrestlers who secured quotas would represent India in Paris.

August 2024: At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh delivered an extraordinary performance by defeating Yui Susaki of Japan, the reigning Olympic champion and four-time World Champion, with a score of 3-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. She later overcame the three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Oksana Livach to reach the Olympic semifinals for the first time.

Vinesh's journey reflects both her resilience and determination, underscoring her significant contributions to Indian wrestling amid personal and professional challenges.