Paris 2024: Neeraj Chopra Turns Custodian Of Hope As India Dreams For Gold
As Neeraj Chopra gets ready to beat the odds once more and compete for Olympic gold for a second time, the stakes couldn’t get any higher. Victory will make him the most decorated Indian athlete at the Olympics in any individual sport. Currently, shuttler PV Sindhu – with one silver and one bronze, wrestler Sushil Kumar – with one silver and one bronze, and shooter Manu Bhaker – with two bronzes hold two Olympic medals each, all post independence. Enthrown in a fantastic throw, which is the second-best of his career performance-wise, Chopra has thus silenced the biggest question that people had going into the Games: his fitness. The athlete had confessed to carrying an adductor niggle into the Games. Of course, his personal best remains an impressive 89.94 meters, achieved in 2022. This 89.34 meters he recorded is not only sealing his place as one among the top contenders but has also revived the hopes of millions of Indian fans who are awaiting the day—Thursday—when perhaps Chopra would cross the elusive 90-meter mark. Noteworthy is the fact that this effort stands as the second-best throw in the qualifying rounds at the Olympics, only after the legendary Jan Zelezny’s 89.39 meters during the 2000 Sydney Games. But right before Neeraj Chopra enters the fray to defend that gold, just so dear, let us take a moment to recollect those world-beating achievements that have defined this illustrious career. Year Competition Venue / Country Medal 2016 Asian U20 Championships Vietnam Silver 2016 World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland Gold 2017 Asian Championships Bhubaneshwar, India Gold 2018 Commonwealth Games Australia Gold 2018 Asian Games Jakarta, Indonesia Gold 2021 Tokyo Olympics 2020 Japan Gold 2022 World Championships United States Silver 2022 Diamond League Zurich Gold 2023 Diamond League Doha Gold 2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary Gold 2023 Asian Games Hangzhou, China Gold 2024 Diamond League Doha Silver Neeraj Chopra once again has found himself as the custodian of dreams as India would be banking on him for that elusive Olympic gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
List Of Accolades Vinesh Phogat Won Over Her Wrestling Career
Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from the sport after a glorious campaign spanning over a decade. The 29-year-old declared it on social media after she exited the Paris Olympics 2024 due to disqualification for missing weight before the gold medal bout. But even with that Olympic heartbreak of 2016, Vinesh leaves you with a series of scintillating achievements under her name. She is now considered one of the greatest-ever wrestlers produced by India: the first Indian woman to fight in three Olympics, the first to make an Olympic final, and the first to win gold at the Asian Games. She is also India’s only female wrestler with more than one world championship medal. Olympics 2024 Paris Olympics – Final (50kg) Vinesh’s campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics was nothing short of dramatic. She made it to the final following a thrilling 3-2 win over reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan making it her first loss after a streak of 84 consecutive matches. She then beat both Oksana Livach and Yusneylys Guzman to become the first-ever Indian woman to make the final of an Olympic wrestling event. But on the day of the final, she was disqualified for failing to make the weight. 2020 Tokyo Olympics – Quarterfinal (53kg) Vinesh Phogat was seeded as the world number one for the Tokyo Olympics but fell to a bitter defeat in the quarterfinal at the hands of Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya, a two-time world champion who later took bronze. 2016 Rio Olympics – Quarterfinal: 48kg Vinesh Phogat made her Olympic debut in Rio at 21 years of age. She was participating in the 48kg category, and during the quarterfinal match against China’s Sun Yanan, she suffered an ACL tear that forced her to withdraw from the event. She got the prestigious Arjuna Award later that year. World Championships 2022 Belgrade Worlds – BRONZE (53kg) Vinesh Phogat won a bronze at the World Championships in 2022 after losing the semifinal to eventual silver medal winner Batkhuyagiin Khulan of Mongolia in the first round. She won the repechage clearing two-time European champion Jonna Malmgren of Sweden. 2019 Nur-Sultan Worlds – BRONZE (53kg) Her 2019 World Championships bronze came after a defeat to Japan’s Mayu Mukaida, herself a three-time world champion and Tokyo gold medallist. Vinesh Phogat sealed her place on the podium by beating Paris gold medallist Sarah Hildebrandt and three-time worlds medallist Maria Prevolaraki of Greece in the repechage. Asian Games 2018 Jakarta – GOLD (50kg) It was also at the 2018 Asian Games where Vinesh Phogat avenged her Rio Olympics loss by defeating Sun Yanan in the Round of 16. She went on to win gold after defeating two-time Asian champion Yuki Irie, thus becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the Asian Games. 2014 Incheon – BRONZE (48kg) At just 20 years old, Vinesh Phogat bagged a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games and became the third Indian woman to do so. She won the bronze through the repechage route after having lost to the three-time world champion and reigning Rio Olympics gold medallist Eri Tosaka of Japan. Commonwealth Games 2022 Birmingham – GOLD (53kg) From the heartbreak of Tokyo and a subsequent fall-out with the Wrestling Federation of India, to Vinesh Phogat bouncing back at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, becoming the first Indian woman to win three CWG golds. 2018 Gold Coast – GOLD (50kg) Phogat was making a stunning comeback from her Rio injury after winning all her bouts, bring home gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. 2014 Glasgow – GOLD (48kg) Vinesh Phogat’s first big win on the international circuit came at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she won gold a month shy of her 20th birthday. Brilliant Asian Championship Performances Vinesh Phogat has been a consistent performer at the Asian Wrestling Championships and won medals in every edition that she participated. Her personal medals include four bronze medals (2014, 2016, 2019, 2020), three silver medals (2015, 2017, 2018) and a gold medal in 2021. Personal Accolades and Legacy Phogat is widely recognized for her contributions in the field of wrestling. In 2019, she became the first Indian to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award and for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year in 2022. Vinesh was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2016 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020. She returned both these awards in 2023 during the wrestler protests. With the retirement of Vinesh Phogat, one great career in Indian wrestling finally comes to an end. Her journey was one of resilience, perseverance, and unparalleled success. The type of legacy she will leave behind will motivate generations of wrestlers when she steps away from the sport. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
“Alvida Kushti” Says Vinesh Phogat After Olympic Disqualification
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from the sport through an emotional social media post. The 29-year-old, who was bound to compete for the 50kg gold medal bout, revealed her decision after dramatic events unfolded when she was ruled out of contention at the Paris Olympics 2024 due to an overweight of 100 grams. A Tearful Goodbye Having made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to enter a gold medal bout in her category, Phogat expressed deep disappointment. In a message to her mother, Premlata, Phogat wrote, “Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive (me),” Phogat, a two-time world championship bronze medalist, has now retired from wrestling. Phogat’s Disqualification The disqualification came barely minutes before the final contest Wednesday, with Phogat way above her category’s limit. Severe dehydration—in the wake of extreme measures taken to make the weight in, including fasting and without fluids all day, and staying awake all night—saw her spend much of the day at a polyclinic inside the Games village. Appeal and Legal Proceedings Phogat had appealed CAS to turn her disqualification into a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who took her place in the final bout against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt went on to win that bout and take the gold medal. The appeal of Phogat was to be heard in the next few hours by the ad-hoc division of CAS set up in Paris for disputes arising from the Olympic Games. Phogat’s Legacy Phogat has had a career resonating with gold medals in Asian and Commonwealth Games and has been one of the icons in wrestling. Her recent efforts also include spearheading protests against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexual harassment. Vinesh Phogat’s retirement brings curtains on one of the remarkable journeys as a three-time Olympian and the trailblazer of Indian women in wrestling. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: How Wrestling Weigh-Ins Work?
Vinesh Phogat missed her shot at an Olympic medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 by failing to make the weigh-in for the final event in the 50 kg category. On Wednesday morning, Vinesh was about 100 grams over the permissible limit of 50kg, thereby ruling her out of participation in the competition. The Weight Cut: The torturous process In wrestling, much like most other contact sports, the athletes go through something called a “weight cut” to reach their exact weight class. This typically means a systematic loss of weight over some period, usually two weeks prior to the event. An athlete may lose even up to 10% of his mass in that period of time. Take the example of a wrestler who weighs 60 kg and is competing in the 57 kg category. They would need to lose 3 kgs of their weight slowly within two weeks. The final 24 hours leading up to weigh-in are the most difficult times of a weight cut. This is where, in desperation, so many athletes turn to ridiculous strategies such as extra-long cardio sessions in a sweat suit, repeated steam and sauna sessions, trying to get as much fluid out of their body as possible. Others even shave their head just to lose that extra gram or two. Such extreme measures put a great physical and mental drain on the body, and more often than not, such sleepless nights are attributed to exhaustion. How Wrestling Weigh-Ins Work? Wrestlers have two weigh-ins. One in the morning when preliminary rounds start and another in the morning for final rounds, to make sure that athletes remain within their weight category throughout the competition. Vinesh Phogat had successfully made the weight this morning before the day’s preliminary rounds. However, on Wednesday morning—the day of her final—the weight checked in 100 grams above the 50 kg limit, disqualifying her. Post Weight-Cut Nutrition By the morning of the competition, when athletes finally make weight, they fill themselves with electrolytes, simple carbohydrates, and a little protein to regain their strength. Therefore, it is believed that athletes should maintain their nutrition very carefully as intake in excess could result in excessive weight gain that forbids them from competing. Normally, wrestlers fight for three bouts on the first day, so they have to balance between good nutrition and hydration without burdening their drained bodies. Conditions and Regulations of the Competition The United World Wrestling (UWW) rulebook has stipulated that it is a closed form of competition with stringent weigh-in procedures. Article 8 of the Competition System has stated that there will be a medical control and first weigh-in in the morning of the concerned weight category. The second weigh-in the next morning is for athletes who will compete in the finals and repechages. It is to note that there is no weight tolerance for the second weigh-in, even though there is a 2kg tolerance at World Cup and International Tournaments, excluding UWW Ranking Events. It is also articulated in UWW’s Chapter 3, Article 11 that each morning, the concerned weight category holds weigh-ins and medical control. The first weigh-in takes 30 minutes, whereas the second weigh-in is also 15 minutes for athletes in the repechages and finals. Other Instances of Disqualification Vinesh Phogat is not the first to be disqualified. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, there have been three other wrestlers who did not pass weigh-ins:– Stevan Mićić (Serbia) – Men’s Freestyle 57 kg– Batyrbek Tsakulov (Slovakia) – Men’s Freestyle 65 kg– Danila Semenov (Russia) – Men’s Light Heavyweight (80-92 kg) Examples like this add weight to just how strict and unforgiving the weight regime is in wrestling, showing how much exact weight really matters in it. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic Dream Dashed by Weight Mishap
Today, the world saw how cruel sports can be. It takes you up, gives you glamour and hopes, and all of a sudden it shatters you down within no time. The same happened with Vinesh Phogat. Vinesh Phogat’s dream of an Olympic medal has come crashing down as she failed to make weight for her final bout in the women’s 50kg. Disqualified from the competition, she will not be allowed to compete in the final and the confirmed silver medal will also be taken away from her. First Reaction From The Industry Expert Dr. Amol Patil, a renowned sports physician and wellness consultant, said while speaking to The Sportz Planet, “Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification is a tragic outcome of a systemic failure in athlete preparation. Weight management in combat sports is a complex issue, but it’s clear that a scientific, athlete-centered approach is essential. It’s perplexing why India’s central sports science team wasn’t involved earlier to address the weight issue. We need to prioritize athlete health and performance by implementing evidence-based strategies with integration of technology. This incident demands a thorough review of our sports science support system.“ Dr. Patil’s Opinion The role of the support staff cannot be overstated. Coaches, nutritionists and physicians must work in tandem to create personalized weight management plans. Regular check-ins and adjustments to the plan are essential to ensure the athlete stays on track. The Indian Olympic Association’s central sports science team should play a more proactive role in providing expertise and support to athletes across all disciplines. It’s crucial to remember that weight management is not solely about achieving the target weight; it’s about optimizing performance and protecting athlete health. By adopting a scientific, athlete-centered approach, India can not only prevent future disqualifications but also enhance the overall performance of its athletes. The time for reactive measures is over. It’s time for a proactive, evidence-based approach to weight management in Indian sports. An Unfortunate History India, unfortunately, has a history of grappling with weigh-in issues in combat sports. The absence of a structured, scientific approach to weight management is a glaring gap in our sports science support system. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for a paradigm shift in how we prepare our athletes. Solution Central to addressing this issue is the implementation of regular, comprehensive monitoring. Segmental body composition analysis can provide invaluable insights into an athlete’s body composition, allowing for tailored nutrition and hydration plans. This data-driven approach, when combined with the expertise of nutritionists, physicians, and coaches, can significantly reduce the risk of last-minute weight crises. Furthermore, athletes must be educated about the dangers of rapid weight loss and the importance of gradual, sustainable weight management. A strong emphasis on nutrition, hydration, and recovery is paramount. Athletes should be encouraged to maintain a healthy weight throughout the year, rather than resorting to extreme measures in the lead-up to competitions. This was the first time Phogat has been disqualified, and it was a big, somber moment for Olympic wrestling. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Vinesh Phogat Aims For Gold In 50 kg Wrestling Final
A year of protest against the federation chief. Slept on pavements for 40 days. Was beaten, dragged by the police. Nearly immersed all her medals in the Ganga. Underwent knee surgery. Sealed her Olympic spot after an unforgiving qualification process. Became the 1st Indian woman wrestler to qualify for three successive Olympics. And now at Paris Olympics 2024, she’s beaten the unbeatable defending champ, won two more bouts to become the first Indian woman to reach a wrestling Olympic final. Words fail to appreciate what Vinesh Phogat has just done. Historic Achievement Vinesh Phogat has created history by becoming the first Indian woman to make it to an Olympic wrestling final. Phogat achieved this feat by defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman 5-0 in the semifinal of the women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday, 07th August, 2024. Dominant In The Semifinal Vinesh Phogat, participating in the 50 kg weight category for the first time, showed her class when she won the bout through a points decision. The win assured India of a medal in the event and took Phogat into the gold-medal match to be held on Wednesday, where she will face USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. Story Of The Semi-Final In the semifinal bout, Phogat first got her point due to passivity by Guzman. Later on, availing a second passivity warning against her opponent in the second round, she bagged four points and cemented her position for the final. Here’s Phogat’s journey to the semi-finals of Paris 2024. Impressive Form At Paris 2024 Phogat’s journey to the final of the Paris Olympics 2024 has been excellent. Barely a few days ago, she had made news when she beat defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16. She then carried her fine form into the next round by beating Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals. Awaits Gold-Medal Bout With her recent performance, Vinesh Phogat is now only the second Indian woman wrestler to secure an Olympic medal after Sakshi Malik managed the feat. The wrestling fraternity and Indian sports enthusiasts keenly await her performance in the final bout as she aims to bring home a piece of gold. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Vinesh Phogat Enters Semi Finals in Women’s 50kg Freestyle Wrestling
On Tuesday, 06th August, 2024, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat created a career-high by making it to the semifinals of the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling at the Paris Olympics 2024. In a thrilling quarter-final, Vinesh overcame three-time Oksana Livach of Ukraine, a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games, to win 7-5. This will be the first time Vinesh has ever appeared in an Olympic semifinal. Semifinal vs Yusneylys Guzman That is a tantalizing semi final encounter up next with Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman, who won the gold in the Pan American Games 2023. Guzman is a formidable greco-roman wrestler and will be one of the obstacles on Vinesh’s path to the final. A Bit Earlier A bit earlier in the competition, Vinesh shocked the reigning Olympic champion, four-time World Champion Yui Susaki from Japan with a 3-2 narrow victory. That win took special prominence as Susaki did not let any of her opponents score a point in the competition of the Tokyo Games. Cementing Her Place At Paris 2024 Vinesh confirmed her place at the Paris Olympics 2024 by reaching the final of the Asian Olympic Qualifier this year, where she outmaneuvered Laura Ganikyzy in the semifinal. This achievement marked a kind of streak with her performance and don’t-give-up quality on the international stage. A Historic Achievement for Indian Wrestling To say that Vinesh’s campaign in the Olympics was not anything but a series of struggles would be an understatement. She lost in the quarterfinals in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. During Rio in 2016, she suffered a disastrous ACL injury in the midst of battle and due to that had to retire, thus ending her campaign. Vinesh Phogat, competing in her third straight Olympic Games, became the first female Indian wrestler to very well start with the journey in Paris, unbeaten, best in many ways. Now, the fans will be looking at her next encounter against Guzman to break into the final of Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shteye
Paris 2024: India faces Germany in do-or-die hockey semis
In a keenly awaited semifinal at high-stakes Paris Olympics 2024, India is up against World champion Germany at the Yves du Manoir Stadium on Tuesday, 06th August, 2024, with the challenge of defending without its key player, Amit Rohidas. Rohidas got a red card in the quarter-final match against Great Britain and has been suspended for one game; the appeal by Hockey India to get the order reversed was turned down. Resilient Defense: India’s Strength Though Rohidas was missing, India showed some steel to fight out three quarters without their main player against Great Britain before bucking up a great defense that has increased manifold compared to the earlier pool matches. The victory came and now it will face an even more supreme German side that is adept at offense, scoring the most number of goals in the tournament while winning five out of its six matches. Past Encounters and Current Expectations While India had mixed results against Germany this year, with a victory and defeat in the FIH Pro League last June, the Olympic stage is intense and should raise the competition a notch higher. In the case of Rohidas, which affected the strategy of rolling substitution by the team, Manpreet will be called upon to essentially cover up at the back. On the other side, India’s strengthened defense needs to be extra cautious against Germany’s prolific scorers Christopher Ruhr and Justus Weigand. At the same time, drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will also have a significant role in maximizing the potential created from penalty corners as much as possible without Rohidas, both as a penalty corner extractor and rusher. Anticipation for a Thrilling Match Germany would look towards carrying the winning momentum forward after getting the better of Argentina in the quarters, while India will look forward to rise to the occasion as it has done so many times in times of adversity. It’s going to be a great game of hockey with both teams promising a high level of hockey. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Tapping the Potential of Sports Science at Paris Olympics 2024
The world got to see a whole new face of athlete preparation during the Paris Olympics 2024, where a largely shifted will had been seen from the traditional methods to more backing on sports science. Modern-day athletes bank on advanced technologies and data analytics in optimizing both their training and recovery processes, illustrating the increasing dependency on sports science in today’s sports. An Olympic silver medalist, for example, wears a heart rate monitor to track cardio data, which her physiotherapist and coach then use to help her decide on the daily training program. Sports Wearables play a crucial part here. The sports wearable ensures that the athlete gets optimal training without going over her limit to ensure recovery, thereby enhancing her prospects of repeating the feat of winning another medal. An older table tennis player, who began tracking his heart rate for more than twenty years ago, is a good example of the role of sports science and usage of sports wearable technology in long athletic careers. He continuously uses data to tune his training in ways that have been instrumental in keeping him competitive. Experts have chalked out a strength training schedule for an Olympic champion javelin thrower, targeting an increase of a certain percentage of his present power output. It is such a focussed program that even the ‘bar speed’—the speed at which a weightlifter lifts weights—will be monitored in an attempt to maximize his distance throw without losing any of his fleet-footedness. Across disciplines, technology is being integrated as standard practice. Today, robots are sparring partners for the best athletes in table tennis and archery; specialized gear, such as stable jackets, helps shooters achieve better scores. Real-time analysis with Vo2 max and electrolyte balance gives an athlete a fair amount of return information on his physiology to make instant adjustments in his training and strategy. There is also greater recognition of the fact that each system is different and thus requires personalized training and nutrition plans catering to specific body types and genetic factors. Considering the importance of sport nutrition, the Olympic Village at Paris 2024 gives athletes an access to a variety of cuisines and also has set up a restaurant that caters to the nutrition needs of the athletes. Much effort is being put into the complete integration of sports science within the programs for athlete development. Regular assessments and screenings are performed to monitor the physical and nutritional status of the athletes, however wide acceptance of these methods is still not quite in place. Yet, success cases among those who have embraced those new means made clear the real potential of sports science in making big differences in athletic performance. The Sportz Planet – SportSci Summit 2024 The themes mooted at the Paris Olympics 2024 resonate with the sessions of the inaugural SportSci Summit organized by The Sportz Planet on June 22, 2024. Experts shared and presented various aspects of sports physiology, sports psychology, sports biomechanics, sports nutrition, on-field emergency management and sports wearable technology. These issues were in sync with the new approaches we are able to see at Paris Olympics 2024 as here too the athletes used sports science to make the difference. Key takeaways from the summit were on the lines of psychological conditioning, precise biomechanics, effective nutrition strategies and wearable tech in training. Other main pointers from the meet revolved around emergency response techniques and sports cardiology in athlete safety. Of course, these inspiring stories by elite athletes were motivation in themselves for the mere punctuation of dedication and resilience required to succeed in sports, thus reiterating the reason for a holistic approach to sports science. As sports science evolves further, its effect on athlete performance, health, and safety will continue to increase and define the future of sports across the world. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Avinash Sable Qualifies for Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Final
Indian runner Avinash Sable timed 8:15.43 and finished 5th on Monday 05th August, 2024. Aggressive is the word to describe this race; Sable, leading right up to the 1000m mark, eased into the top four. Sable stayed in front with Kenyan runner Abraham Kibiwot and the Ethiopian Samuel Fireru throughout most of the race but fell into third place as the race continued. He maintained a decent pace, though and at the bell remained in contention, being joined by Kibiwott, Fireru, and Japan’s Ryuji Miura, who had moved his way into the top five that would guarantee a place in the final. Last Lap and Performance Although overtaken by four competitors in the home straight, Sable clung to 5th position, with the discernibility of those athletically top separating themselves ahead and the rest behind. Significantly, Sable’s performance included the likelihood of being even better had he not checked too many times to see his position while the race was on. Impressive Pre-Olympics Form Sable takes solid form going into the Olympics in Paris. Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, he bettered his personal best to 8:09:91 at the Paris Diamond League, which on 7 July got him the 6th place at a top-class field. This was the first time in his career that Sable made it under that 8:10 time. Confidence/Competitive Edge Some of his confidence came ahead of the Diamond League, where he stated that he was in the best shape of his career. The tight competition at the Diamond League was emphasized by a close finish, with all the runners from 4th to 6th position finishing within 0.50s of each other. Looking Ahead to the Final Sable’s progression and recent performances set a promising tone as he prepares for the final, with the men’s 3000m steeplechase event being one of the anticipated highlights of the Paris Olympics 2024. Also read about how Avinash Sable dreamt big here. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye