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After winning the gold medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024, Sarah Ann Hildebrandt spoke about the chaos surrounding the disqualification of her compatriot Vinesh Phogat from India. The American was scheduled to take on Vinesh Phogat in the gold medal match, but the Indian was ousted from the Olympics after being found 100gms overweight.
Following the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat, she was replaced in the gold medal match by Guzman Lopez of Cuba, who had earlier lost to her in the semi-final of the women’s 50kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024. Sarah Ann Hildebrandt went on to win the gold medal after defeating the Cuban 3-0.
USA wrestler narrates chaos surrounding Paris Olympics 2024 disqualification
While talking to the press after taking home the gold medal, Sarah Ann Hildebrandt narrated how the weigh-ins went down on the morning of her gold medal match. She said, as per PTI, “I prepared for chaos, but that was not on my bingo card of chaos. (Vinesh Phogat) wasn't at weigh-ins, so I was in my head like, 'Oh my gosh, this might be a possibility.' Then, we get the news that she didn't make weight, and we were under the impression that it was a forfeit. So, there was a lot of celebrating.”
After learning about Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification, Sarah Ann Hilderbrandt assumed that the gold medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 would be hers, but then, she learnt about going up against Guzman Lopez in the final. “It was very strange, like 'Oh my god, I just won the Olympics.' Then an hour later, they were like, 'You did not win the Olympics.' I'm like, 'Oh, this is very weird.' So there had to be a reset. I took a nap, woke up, and it was like a fever dream,” she added.
As of this writing, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) is expected to announce their verdict tomorrow on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal to award her a silver medal after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024.
