A FEMALE Olympic wrestler has been disqualified just hours before the final – after being overweight by less than ONE POUND.
India star Vinesh Phogat, 29, was later hospitalised after reportedly fainting after staying up all night jogging and cycling to shed the weight.
The wrestler discovered she was 2kg (4lb) over her 50kg weight on Tuesday.
Phogat then got back on the scales and was overweight by just 150 grams – a third of a pound.
But it was not enough to meet the requirements and Olympic chiefs have disqualified her from the final.
She then fainted due to dehydration and was rushed to a Paris hospital.
Phogat was set to face Sarah Hildebrandt in the final today.
But with the clash now off, the American is expected to be awarded with the gold medal.
Yet no silver will supposedly be awarded to Phogat despite her beating three opponents at the Games.
The decision has sparked fury in India, with the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi wading in, saying: “Vinesh, you are a champion among champions. You are India’s pride and an inspiration.
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“Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing.
“At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger. We are all rooting for you.”
Phogat’s Olympic dream being shattered comes amid a remarkable comeback from a career-threatening ACL injury that she picked up back in Rio in 2016.
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY
TODAY’S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Team GB could add medals in the men’s and women’s team pursuit in the velodrome (5.30pm) to their track cycling tally.
Matthew Hudson-Smith may be in contention for a podium finish in the men’s 400m final but American Quincy Hall and Grenada’s Kirani James are favourites (8.20pm).
BRITS TO WATCH
Skateboarding legend Andy Macdonald makes his Olympics debut in the men’s park event aged 51 (11.30am).
Toby Roberts goes into his preferred lead climbing phase of the bouldering and lead sport climbing semi-final in third with Hamish McArthur in eighth (9am).
Max Burgin, Elliot Giles and Ben Pattison, 2023 world bronze medallist, begin their 800m campaigns (10.55am).
And Eleanor Aldridge and Connor Bainbridge are in sailing kite action (11.10am).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
After Scottie Scheffler secured USA gold for the men, golfing superstar Nelly Korda begins her quest for glory in the women’s tournament at Le Golf National (8am). Georgia Hall and Charley Hull go for GB.
Atthaya Thitikul, though, will hope to stop Korda and win Thailand’s first Olympic medal in a sport other than boxing, taekwondo or weightlifting.
Nigerian world record-holder Tobi Amusan goes in round one of the 100m women’s hurdles (9.15am).
And Australia’s Nina Kennedy and America’s Katie Moon will battle it out for pole vault gold after sharing the world title last year (6pm).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
The marathon race walk mixed relay goes off at 6.30am.
But if that’s too early or not getting your Olympic juices flowing, there are two weightlifting finals – the men’s 61kg (2pm) and the women’s 49kg (6.30pm).
STATS MAD
6.06 – Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw broke the women’s speed climbing world record not once but twice on Monday, scaling the 15m wall in 6.21 seconds and then 6.06 seconds just moments later.
Can she break it again and win gold today? Final at 10.50am.
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
