Vinesh Phogat fails to qualify for Asian Games after semi-final defeat

Vinesh Phogat was knocked out of the Asian Games selection trials in New Delhi on Saturday after losing to Meenakshi Goyat 4-6 in a tense semifinal bout of the women's 53kg event. The loss will dash Vinesh's hopes of a comeback and her chances of securing a berth at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan later this year. She lost in the semi-final of the women's 53kg category selection trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium.
Her earlier matches in the trials had shown promise, but the 4-6 loss against Meenakshi ended her hopes of competing at the Asian Games. The Haryana wrestler and Congress MLA from Julana, Phogat, won her second bout against Nishu after defeating Jyoti with a commanding 7-1 scoreline in the first bout. Vinesh Phogat weighed in at 53.9 kg and was slotted into the 53 kg draw.
The defeat marked a major setback for Vinesh, who had returned to competition determined to earn an Asian Games berth. Yet, as she walked off the mat, the former world champion and Olympic medallist left the crowd with a message that drew applause from those present. As directed by the Delhi High Court, Aditi Chauhan from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and M M Somaiya from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) are present as observers during the trials at the IG Stadium. WFI President Sanjay Singh is also present.