Haryana’s young wrestler Meenakshi Goyat has made headlines by defeating experienced wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials. Meenakshi defeated Vinesh 6-4 in the semi-final match of 53 kg category played at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. With this defeat, while Vinesh’s dream of playing in the Asian Games was shattered, Meenakshi’s name has become a topic of discussion in the entire country. Meenakshi is a big fan of John Cena and has taken inspiration from him for wrestling.

Meenakshi Goyat, resident of Nidani village in Jind district of Haryana, belongs to an ordinary family. Recognizing the talent of Meenakshi Goyat, the eldest of three siblings, her family decided to leave Jind and settle in Sonipat for better training. Her father is involved in the dairy business and left no stone unturned in meeting his daughter’s training, food and sports needs.

Dream of becoming a wrestler came after seeing John Cena

Meenakshi Goyat has told in many interviews that she was fond of wrestling since childhood. WWE superstar John Cena has been his favorite player. The desire to become a wrestler arose in his mind after watching John Cena’s match on TV. After this, he started wrestling training at the age of just 10. In the initial days, he practiced in the local akhada of his village Nidani and gradually started making his mark.

received taunts from relatives

Meenakshi Goyat’s journey was full of struggles. When the family decided to send him to a hostel away from home for better training, many relatives opposed it. People taunted the family that it was not right to teach wrestling to the girl and send her away from home. However, Meenakshi and her parents ignored these criticisms and remained focused on their goal.

Rewarded for hard work

After winning medals at the cadet level, Meenakshi started receiving awards from the Haryana government. Even after winning the riots and winning the prize money, people made all kinds of comments but the family never gave up. It is the result of continuous hard work and dedication that today Meenakshi has become one of the most popular young wrestlers of the country. By defeating a veteran player like Vinesh Phogat, Meenakshi has proved that on the basis of talent and hard work one can reach any great position. Now the eyes of sports lovers will be focused on their upcoming matches and possible performance in the Asian Games.