Meenakshi Goyat defeated Vinesh Phogat 6-4 in the semifinal of the Asian Games trials for women’s 53kg category. With that, Vineshโs dreams of representing India in the Asian Games came to an end.
The encounter proved to be one of the most competitive matches of the day at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Neither wrestler was able to create a significant gap on the scoreboard for long periods, with points exchanged throughout the contest. When the decisive moments arrived, Meenakshi capitalised on her opportunities and protected a narrow advantage to complete a 6-4 win.
The result closed the curtain on Vinesh’s campaign, which had begun earlier in the day with a strong return to competitive action. Making her first appearance since the Paris Olympics, she opened her challenge with a convincing performance against Jyoti in the Round of 16. Despite receiving a passivity warning during the bout, Vinesh quickly settled into her rhythm and controlled proceedings on her way to a 7-1 victory.
More to follow…