100 grams of luck

Who would have thought that this scene from the movie Chhichhore would turn out to be true one day? Neither Vinesh Phogat nor the 1.4 billion people in India had imagined that the tears of joy would turn into tears of sorrow. From beating the World's Number 1 Japanese Athlete, who was unbeaten for 82 matches, to winning 5-0 against the Cuban athlete, Vinesh was the most deserving candidate for winning gold in the women's freestyle 50kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024. But the medal was snatched away even before she fought her final battle, when she weighed 100 grams more before the final match and got disqualified.

But was it unfair behaviour from the International Olympic Association just towards Vinesh, or have there been any other cases where wrestling athletes were disqualified for being overweight?

Stephen Abas

Event: 2003 World Wrestling Championships

Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA

Date: September 12-14, 2003

Stephen was supposed to compete in the 55 kg Men's freestyle category at the World Championships. However, he failed to meet the 55 kg weight limit during the official weigh-in. The exact details of how much he missed the weight by are not widely documented, but not making weight disqualified him from competing in his category.

Despite this setback, Stephen Abas regrouped and refocused on preparing for the 2004 Athens Olympics. His resilience paid off as he won a silver medal in the 55 kg category, demonstrating his ability to overcome adversity.

Sushil Kumar

Event: 2011 World Wrestling Championships

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Date: September 12-18, 2011

During the 2011 World Wrestling Championships, Sushil Kumar was disqualified for not making weight in his designated 66 kg category. Missing the championships affected his preparation and momentum leading into future competitions, including the London 2012 Olympics.

Following the setback at the World Championships, Sushil Kumar shifted his focus to the 2012 London Olympics. His resilience and determination paid off when he won a silver medal in the 66 kg category, solidifying his legacy as one of India's premier wrestlers.

Yang Kyong-il

Event: 2015 World Wrestling Championships

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Date: September 7-12, 2015

Yang Kyong-il is a successful North Korean freestyle wrestler who has achieved significant success in his career. He has won gold medals at the World Wrestling Championships twice, in 2009 and 2014, in the 55 kg weight class. However, he was disqualified for failing to make weight in his designated 57 kg category.

In sports like boxing, wrestling, and weightlifting, even the smallest differences can determine success or failure. Whether it's 100 grams in weight or a tenth of a second in events like athletics and swimming, every second is important. For example, Usain Bolt was disqualified for a false start in the final of the 100 meters at the 2011 World Championships because he started 1/10 second early. This year, United States sprinter Noah Lyles won a 100-meter race by just .005 seconds over Kishane Thompson of Jamaica.

In short, it was unfortunate for Vinesh to be disqualified despite being the best in her category. We can only hope that she recovers both physically and mentally from this situation.