Vinesh Phogat's Herculean Task: India's Wrestling Hopes on the Line

Vinesh Phogat, India's top woman wrestler, aims to overcome previous Olympic heartbreaks and a turbulent build-up to secure a medal at the Paris Games. Alongside five colleagues, she faces a challenging road with stiff competition. The Indian wrestlers aim to continue their country's historic Olympic medal streak in wrestling.

Vinesh Phogat, India's foremost woman wrestler, is gearing up for the Paris Games with aspirations of clinching an elusive Olympic medal. Despite a tumultuous journey marked by past disappointments and protests, Phogat, along with five other Indian wrestlers, seeks to solidify her place on the global stage when the wrestling event kicks off on Monday.

With an enviable collection of medals from World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships, Phogat's Olympic dreams have previously ended in heartbreak. Her campaign in Rio ended with a broken leg, and Tokyo saw her grappling with defeat and allegations of misconduct. Despite odds and controversies, Phogat leads the charge again, embodying resilience and defiance.

This Olympic season presents a formidable lineup, with Phogat unseeded against top contenders like Yui Susaki and Maria Stadnik. Besides her, Indian wrestlers such as Anshu Malik and Aman Sehrawat face their own challenges with fitness concerns and fierce competition. Reetika Hooda, a dark horse in the heavyweight category, adds to India's nuanced narrative of grit and glory in wrestling.

(With inputs from agencies.)