Vinesh Phogat: First Indian woman to win gold medal at 2018 Asian Games

Wrester Vinesh Phogat (23) became first Indian women athlete to win gold medal at the Asian Games 2018 held in Jakarta, Indonesia. She achieved this feat, by defeating Yuki Irie of Japan by 6-2 score final of the women’s wrestling in the 50kg category. With this, she also became first Indian woman wrestler to win gold medal at 2018 Asian Games. It also makes her only woman wrestler to win two medals in back-to-back Asian Games. She had earlier won Bronze medal in 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea (in 48 kg category).

This was India’s second Gold medal after start of Asian Games in Jakarta. First was won by wrestler Bajrang Punia in the men’s freestyle 65 kg final event.

Vinesh Phogat

She hails from Haryana. She comes from successful family background of wrestling. Her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari are both international wrestlers and Commonwealth Games medalists (Hindi biographical film Dangal was loosely based on them). She also had won back-to-back gold medals in 2014 Glasgow (in 48 kg category and 2018 Gold Coast (50 kg) Commonwealth Games.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2018