Vinesh Phogat Clinches Gold at Grand Prix of Spain 2024 Ahead of Paris Olympics

Add as a preferred source on Google

Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal at the Grand Prix of Spain in Madrid on Saturday in the women's 50kg category. She defeated Mariia Tiumerekova in the final with a score of 10-5.

Tiumerekova, previously a Russian wrestler, is now competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete. In the opening bout of the competition, the 29-year-old Indian wrestler secured a commanding 12-4 victory over Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman, the current Pan-American champion.

Phogat then continued her winning streak by defeating the Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medallist Madison Parks of Canada in the quarter-finals with a fall. Advancing to the semi-finals, Phogat emerged victorious against Canada's Katie Dutchak with a score of 9-4.

Vinesh Phogat set to compete in Women's 50kg division at Paris Olympics 2024
Phogat, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, earned a quota for India at the 2024 Asian Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament in Bishkek.

After seeking urgent assistance from Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Ministry of External Affairs, Phogat received her visa just in time on Wednesday for her scheduled flight. Following her 20-day training program in Madrid, she will travel to Boulogne sur-Mer, France.

The two-time Olympian will compete in the women's 50kg division at the Paris Olympics 2024 starting on July 26. She featured in the 53 kg division at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 but had to make way for an in-form Antim Panghal after struggling with injuries.

Panghal, a bronze medallist at the Asian Games, is also in Europe. She is undergoing training at the Olympic Training Centre in Tata, Hungary. At the Rio Olympics 2016, Phogat competed in the women's 48kg division.

Phogat won a gold medal in the women's 50 kg division for the third time in her career in the Grand Prix of Spain in Madrid. She previously won gold medals in this weight category in the Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018 and Asian Games Jakarta 2018. She won a silver medal in this weight category in the Asian Championship Bishkek 2018.

So far in her career, Phogat has competed in 48kg, 50kg, 51kg, 53kg, and 55kg weight divisions. Apart from the 51kg weight category, she has won a gold medal in all the other categories.