Her win was the second gold won by India in this year’s Asian Games, with the 24-year-old wrestler, Bajrang Punia, bagging the gold medal on Sunday first.
Vinesh managed to qualify while her two cousins, Geeta and Babita, missed the qualification spot. To her credit, Vinesh has won several other golds in the past including one at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast this year and the Spanish Grand Prix this month.
She had earlier won 11-0, beating South Korea’s Kim Hyungjoo in the quarter-finals, after defeating China’s Sun Yanan with 8-2 in the 1/8 finals. Post her win, she attributed her strengths to the entire nation for being there for her.
“I wanted to give my best and win gold. Entire nation was with me and my hard work paid off. I believed in myself that I could do this. People are with me and if they continue to be, it’ll be good in Tokyo (Olympics 2020) too,” she told ANI.
Congratulatory messages have since been pouring for her.
Proud of you @Phogat_Vinesh for winning gold in the women’s freestyle 50 kg category. Our second gold medal at the Games so far. #AsianGames2018 #VineshPhogat pic.twitter.com/j2rM7NyBes
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 20, 2018
Her family celebrated too.
Haryana: The family of wrestler Vinesh Phogat who won a gold medal in 50 kg freestyle wrestling at #AsianGames2018 today, celebrate at their home in Charkhi Dadri. Her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat says ‘She will win a gold medal in 2020 Olympics too.’ pic.twitter.com/QQAE0PCL9D
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2018
Congrats #vineshphogat 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/OMzRaKHPIJ
— G.V.Prakash Kumar (@gvprakash) August 20, 2018
Women have to wrestle everyday with unequal opportunity so it is only fitting that Indian women should wrestle their way to the very top of the sporting podium. We’re incredibly proud of you #VineshPhogat Next stop: the Olympic podium! https://t.co/NHZbeY9sbR
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) August 21, 2018
Congratulations Golden Girl @Phogat_Vinesh #AsianGames2018 #VineshPhogat pic.twitter.com/cjUpPyCfvA
— RITU PHOGAT 🤼♀️ (@PhogatRitu) August 20, 2018
Another tournament, another medal!
India rejoices in the victory of @Phogat_Vinesh. Congratulations to her on winning the Gold in the 50Kg wrestling event at the @asiangames2018. Vinesh’s repeated success will surely inspire upcoming athletes. pic.twitter.com/OpJWRpgEoC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2018
