New Delhi: Vinesh Phogat’s coach, Woller Akos, has disclosed his concerns about her health during the intense weight-cutting process before the 50kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics.
As reported by The Indian Express, Akos shared on Facebook—before later deleting the post—that he feared for Phogat’s life as she struggled to shed the last few grams before the weigh-in. She eventually missed the mark by 100 grams, leading to her disqualification.
The post, originally in Hungarian, detailed how Phogat needed to lose 2.7 kilograms after the semi-final. Despite over an hour of exercise and 50 minutes in the sauna, she still had 1.5 kilograms left to shed. Phogat continued working through the night on cardio machines and wrestling drills but collapsed at one point. After recovering, she resumed her efforts in the sauna.
Following a brief hospital stay, Phogat reflected on the experience with her coach, saying, “Coach, don’t be sad. I achieved my goal; I proved I am one of the best in the world. Medals and podiums are just objects, but performance cannot be taken away.”
Although she missed out on a medal, Phogat found pride in her performance, especially in defeating Japan’s top wrestler, Yui Susaki.
