Vinesh Phogat fails to qualify for Asian games, after losing in 53kg semis of selection trials

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat suffered a major setback on Saturday as her hopes of representing India at the 2026 Asian Games came to an end following a 4-6 defeat to Meenakshi Goyat in the women’s 53kg category semifinals at the selection trials held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, reports stated.

Phogat, who had earlier secured permission to compete in the 53kg division after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) reversed its initial decision to restrict her to the 50kg category. Vinesh had objected to the move, alleging discrimination and arguing for the right to compete in the weight class of her choice.

Once on the mat, Vinesh began her campaign strongly with a comfortable 7-1 victory over Jyoti of Haryana. However, she faced a far sterner challenge in the quarterfinals against Nishu, who dominated the opening stages and raced to a 5-0 lead. Nishu nearly pinned the former world championships medallist after executing a spectacular four-point throw, but Vinesh managed to survive the scare.

The quarterfinal reportedly turned into one of the most dramatic contests of the trials, marked by multiple challenges, technical issues with the scoring screens and lengthy interruptions. The breaks appeared to help Vinesh regain her composure as she fought back in the second period, producing a crucial four-point throw to level the contest and shift momentum in her favour.

The match was further overshadowed by disputes involving coaches and officials, while emotions ran high throughout the bout. Following the final whistle, Nishu was left in tears and declined to shake hands with either Vinesh or the referee.

Having battled through adversity to reach the last four, Vinesh’s campaign ultimately ended in the semifinals against Asian bronze medallist Meenakshi Goyat. The loss dashed her hopes of making a comeback on the international stage and securing a place in India’s squad for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan later this year.