A year ago, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat and others were on the streets of Delhi, being manhandled by police personnel and abused - all for protesting against an alleged sexual abuser Brij Bhushan, who was also the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and a BJP MP. Fast forward to August 6, 2024, Vinesh became the first Indian woman to march into the 50 kg freestyle event at the Paris Olympics with a resounding 5-0 win by points over Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman. "I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself, my career is done and this is my last Olympics,” is what Vinesh had told fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia.

Earlier in November 2023, speaking to ESPN, Vinesh had said that she assured Bajrang and Sakshi that she would continue fighting. “I will look him [Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh] in the eye and bring back a medal and show it to him. They both have Olympic medals, I don't. I have a reason to fight. If I train well, I can win a medal. No one can stop me."

Vinesh thus assured India's fourth medal in the Paris Olympics when she will fight for the gold against USA's Sarah Hildebrandt in the final at the Champ-de-Mars Arena Mat B on August 7. Vinesh has become the first Indian female wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics and has the chance to win India their first-ever gold medal in wrestling. Earlier in the day, she stunned Japan's hitherto undefeated Yui Susaki in her first bout.

As Vinesh along with Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik led the protests against Brij Bhushan, she was not only vilified when she raised her voice against some of the moves by the WFI, but was abused when she came down from 53 kg weight class to 50 kg and participated in two weight categories in the trials seeking guarantees from WFI officials. With the tacit support of the administrators, Vinesh was painted as a villain who was trying to gain favours and a backdoor entry into the team. Every move of hers was questioned and disputed as she had stood against the regimen and supported the wrestlers in their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of young female wrestlers.

Vinesh was one of the three Olympians who sat in protest along with many young wrestlers against Brij Bhushan at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for months before they were forcefully removed by Delhi Police and detained. Vinesh along with Sakshi and Bajrang Punia was pilloried and abused by supporters of the regimen and even returned the awards she had received from the government as part of her protest.

In a career spanning over a decade, Vinesh has won many medals and titles for the country including bronze medals in the 2019 and 2022 World Championships, gold medals in three successive Commonwealth Games editions, bronze in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon and gold in Jakarta four years later besides several medals in the Asian Championships. After they were roughed up at the Jantar Mantar protest site by Delhi Police personnel, Vinesh asked "Did we win medals to see this day?"

Speaking to ESPN after the game, Bajrang Punia said, "She told me ‘I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself, my career is done and this is my last Olympics. I want to fight for the young women wrestlers who will come and fight for them so that they can wrestle safely. That's why I was in Jantar Mantar, and that's why I am here’."

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Punia reiterated that Vinesh has created history by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to reach the Olympic final in women's wrestling. “These are the daughters of the country, who have always brought glory to the country. Those who have always placed thorns in the path of these daughters will at least learn a lesson from these daughters and will refrain from sowing thorns in their path in future.”

Calling it a very emotional moment, Sakshee Malik said, “After many years of penance, Vinesh Phogat's dream has come true and along with her dream, Vinesh has also fulfilled the unfulfilled dream of me and crores of Indians. A medal is confirmed. This victory and congratulations are for those who stood firm with us in our struggle.”

(With IANS inputs)