Paris Olympics 2024: Rei Higuchi, once disqualified from Tokyo Games for being overweight, comforts Phogat

Rei Higuchi, Japan’s gold medal winner at the Paris Games 2024 in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling, knows the pain and agony Indian grappler Vinesh Phogat must have gone through over an overweight saga at the Summer Games. 

The Olympics disqualified Phogat for being 100gms overweight ahead of her gold medal match at the Summer Games. Higuchi, who was also eliminated from the home Olympics three years ago (in Tokyo) for being overweight by just 50gms in the 50kg category, posted a heartfelt message for Vinesh.

ALSO READ: Neeraj Chopra reacts to mother’s remarks on calling Arshad ‘his son’ after Paris Olympics heroics

Though Vinesh appealed against the decision in the Court of Arbitrary of Sports (CAS), the outcome of which is yet to be out publicly, she had her moment of creating history for India snatched away in a blink. 

Phogat, 29, announced her retirement soon after.

Taking to his social media handle X, Rei Higuchi posted, “I understand your pain the best. same 50g. Don't worry about the voices around you. Life goes on. Rising from setbacks is the most beautiful thing. Take a good rest.”

Meanwhile, after failing to represent his country in Tokyo, Rei worked on his fitness and game instead and won the gold in Paris. In the semis, he beat India’s Aman Sehrawat 10-0 in a most one-sided affair; however, Aman won the bronze medal late on Friday, his first at the Olympics, adding up India's total tally to six at this edition.

Unfortunate for Vinesh

The Indian wrestler was on a winning spree at the Paris Games 2024, beating the world number one and defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan. She then won her quarter and semis matches, qualifying for the final, becoming the first female grappler from the country to reach this far in this discipline at the Olympics.

However, on the day of the final, she got disqualified for being overweight by just 100gms, missing out on the medal and podium finish. 

Meanwhile, the IOA and CAS are yet to declare the result surrounding the possibility of her winning the silver in Paris. 

(With inputs from agencies)