Vinesh Phogat has given us another reason to celebrate.
By thrashing number-1 Sarah Ann in the repechage at the World Championships in Kazakhstan, Vinesh Phogat has become the first wrestler to qualify for 2020 Olympics.
She had earlier defeated Ukraine’s Yulia K to get India’s first Olympics quota in wrestling. These two victories not only ensured her entry into the top-6 at the World Championships but also ensured her place in the Olympics 2020. As per the rules, the top 6 contenders book a ticket to Tokyo.
First Indian woman wrestler to qualify for Olympics VINESH PHOGAT!
She beats Sarah Hilderbrandt of USA 8-2 to book her ticket to Tokyo and a bronze medal bout at the World Championships! #WrestleNursultan
— Vinay Siwach (@siwachvinay) September 18, 2019
Though Vinesh lost to Japan’s Mayu Mukaida, Mayu reached the final and hence Vinesh got another chance to make it through a repechage.
And she is going to Tokyo Olympics 2020!????
Wrestler #VineshPhogat (@Phogat_Vinesh ) qualifies for #TokyoOlympics 2020 in the 53kg category. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/Bu1cv3K6qy
— ALL INDIA RADIO (@AkashvaniAIR) September 18, 2019
It’s a proud moment for the entire nation and particularly the Phogat family members, who have supported Vinesh throughout her journey.
And a special thanks to Vinesh’s uncle – Mahavir Phogat, who has devoted his entire life to turn his daughters into high performing wrestlers. His story has inspired many parents to believe in their daughters and support them in realizing their true potential.
Read: PV Sindhu’s Father Sacrifice: From Waking Up At 3-AM To Massaging Her Tired Feet
This is not the first time a father has gone the extra mile to make a daughter successful in sports. Last year, Ramesh Rawat quit his government job at the customs department to help his daughters pursue boxing and wrestling professionally.
Since his childhood, Ramesh was interested in pursuing these two sports but lack of family support made him quit his dream. But, when his daughters expressed their interest in the sports, Ramesh decided that he would provide the best possible support to them. While sharing his story, he mentioned how ‘Dangal’, the movie based on Mahavir Phogat and his daughters, inspired him.
Like Ramesh, we hope many more parents seek inspiration from Mahavir to push their daughters to dream big!
Read: Father Quits Job To Support Daughters’ Boxing Dream