How Vinesh Phogat beat 'nature' and her own 'demons' to win a historic World Championships medal

Belgrade airport to catch her flight back home. "Woh shopping karne gayi hai (she has gone shopping)," said coach Jitender Yadav. The phone didn't connect an hour later, Whatsapp messages showed just a single tick. The coach had boarded the flight, so had the women's wrestling team, including Vinesh, wearing her second World Championships medal -- the only female wrestler from India to do that. Back home, after a rest of 24 hours, the pattern didn't change. Repeated attempts to get through to Vinesh failed. "She is like that, doesn't talk to 99% of the media," said coach Yadav. Half nelson. Tap out. Match over. Last week, after shockingly losing her opening match in Belgrade to Mongolian Khulan Batkhuyag, Vinesh crossed her fingers. In wrestling, if an opponent who defeated you in the qualification rounds goes through to the final, you become active again for repechage rounds in quest for a bronze medal. Vinesh had similar hopes. Batkhuyag was wrestling well and reached the final. Vinesh was alive again.

Read AlsoVinesh Phogat wins bronze in World Wrestling Championships

Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday became the first Indian woman wrestler to win two medals at the World Championships as she clinched a bronze in 53kg by defeating Emma Jonna Malmgren of Sweden. The 28-year-old Vinesh had also won a bronze in 2019 edition in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. It was a remarkable

"We had little doubt that the Mongolian would reach the final," said Vinesh's coach Yadav, talking to Timesofindia.com.Vinesh was the favourite for the 53kg gold after the withdrawal of Japan’s Akari Fujinami. But the challenges for women in sports go beyond the field of competition and injury scares. In the middle of her weight-loss routine ahead of the