Sarah Hildebrandt, Vinesh Phogat’s opponent and recent gold medallist in her wrestling division, has disclosed that she is a “big weight cutter”

Sarah Hildebrandt, Vinesh Phogat’s opponent, who secured gold in the women’s 50kg category at the Paris Olympics, revealed she is a ‘big weight cutter’ to comply with weigh-in rules.

During a turbulent time in the wrestling world following Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, Sarah Hildebrandt, who was set to face Vinesh for the women’s 50kg gold on Wednesday night, faced her own emotional ordeal. It was an exceptionally unusual day for her. When Vinesh was disqualified for being 100 grams over the weight limit in the mandatory weigh-in on match day, Hildebrandt initially believed the gold medal was hers without having to compete in the final.

However, an hour later, her celebrations were abruptly interrupted. Hildebrandt was informed that she would have to compete against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba to claim the gold medal. Guzman Lopez, who had lost to Vinesh Phogat in a semifinal, was moved up from the bronze medal match to contend for gold.

Despite the unexpected turn of events, Hildebrandt maintained her focus and secured the gold. This victory, amid emotional highs and lows, underscores her resilience and determination as an elite athlete. The incident also highlights the stringent nature of weight management in wrestling, where even a small deviation can lead to disqualification and significantly alter the competition’s outcome.