Ritu Phogat is an Indian MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) athlete and former freestyle wrestler. She is the sister of famous wrestlers Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat. She is the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships gold medalist.
Wiki/Biography
Ritu Phogat was born on Monday, May 2, 1994 in Ballari, Haryana (age 25; as of 2019). Her zodiac sign is Taurus. She started wrestling training at the age of eight under the guidance of her father Mahavir Singh Phogat. Initially, she found the sport difficult; Because she had to get up at 4 a.m., but eventually she developed a passion for the sport. Ritu passed her Class 10 exams and then dropped out of school to focus on the sport.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5’1”
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
Family, caste and boyfriends
Ritu Phogat belongs to the Hindu Jat family. Her father Mahavir Singh Phogat is an amateur wrestler and senior Olympic coach. Her mother Shobha (Daya) Kaur was a housewife. Her sisters Geeta Phogat and Babita Phogat are both wrestlers. Her sister Sangeeta Phogat is also a wrestler. Ritu also has a younger brother named Dushyant Phogat (Modu).
Ritu Fugate and her father
Ritu Fugate and her parents
Ritu Fugate and her sisters
Ritu Phogat and her brother
Ritu Fugate and her family
Profession
Ritu Phogat started her wrestling career in 2011, competing in the 48kg freestyle category. In 2014, she made her international debut at the FILA Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. In October 2016, Ritu won his second consecutive championship at the annual National Wrestling Championships.
Ritu Phogat competes in the National Wrestling Championship
Subsequently, she participated in the 48kg category of the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Singapore in 2016 and won the gold medal. This was a turning point in her career.
Ritu Phogat at the Commonwealth Championships
In December 2016, Phogat became the most expensive female wrestler at a Pro Wrestling Alliance auction, leaving seasoned contenders such as Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat behind. She pocketed Rs. 36 lakhs for Jaipur Ninjas.
In November 2017, Ritu won a silver medal at the World U-23 Wrestling Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Ritu Phogat in wrestling match
In February 2019, Ritu decided to retire from wrestling and pursue a career in MMA. She signed with ONE Champions and was quoted by InsideSport,
It is an honor and a privilege to join ONE Championship, the best and largest martial arts organization in the world. Wrestling will always be my first love, but I felt it was time to expand my horizons. “
She further said,
I’m excited to compete against the best MMA fighters in the world and bring glory and pride to my country. I also hope to prove that Indian martial arts are indeed world class. Thank you to ONE Champions for giving me the opportunity to share my talents on a global stage. “
Subsequently, she flew to Singapore and signed up for the EVOLVE MAA organization to receive training in different martial arts forms such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling and boxing.
On November 16, 2019, she made her MMA debut in the ONE Championship, having a match with Cindy Tiong, a senior Taekwondo player from Malaysia.
medal
- Asian Junior Championship Gold Medalist (2011)
- Junior Asian Championships Gold Medalist (2011)
Ritu Fugate wins gold medal
- Junior World Championship Bronze Medalist (2011)
- Asian Junior Championship Bronze Medalist (2014)
- Junior World Wrestling Championship Silver Medalist (2014)
Ritu Fugate wins silver medal
- Commonwealth Wrestling Gold Medalist (2016)
- World U-23 Wrestling Championship Silver Medalist (2017)
favorite thing
fact
- Her hobbies include cooking and swimming.
Ritu Phogat in the swimming pool
- She is an ardent follower of the Iranian wrestling team.
- She is very particular about her fitness and follows a strict workout plan.
- In 2016, Aamir Khan filmed a movie “Dangal” based on her family’s story.
dad movie poster
- In 2017, she became the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World U-23 Wrestling Championships.
- Ritu considers her sisters Geeta and Babita to be her inspiration. Talking about them, she said,
While both Geeta and Babita inspire me a lot, I really look up to Geeta. She is an inspirational figure. Moreover, my other cousin Vinesh is close to me in age and in the same weight category. “
- Her cousin Vinesh Phogat is a wrestler and Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Her other cousin Priyanka Phogat is also an international level wrestler.
- Ritu revealed in an interview that the total time she spends playing the game is close to six hours a day.
- Her breakfast consists of juice, curd and almond milk shake prepared by her father.
- When asked about her interest in martial arts, Ritu said:
I have been watching martial arts on YouTube since 2012. I don’t know where it was trained. But I always ask myself why there are no fighter jets here in India. This has always been in the back of my mind. “
- During the interview, when Ritu was asked if her family supported her decision to join MMA, she said:
When I got their offer, I didn’t want to let go and I talked to everyone in my family. They are very supportive. “
- In October 2019, Ritu Phogat set a two-year deadline to become India’s first MMA world champion.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education