The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has announced the nominees for the prestigious Indian Sportswoman of the Year (ISWOTY) Award 2022, and Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have been nominated for the award. The ISWOTY award recognizes the achievements of female athletes in India who have made a significant impact in their respective sports.
Vinesh Phogat, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and Olympic quarterfinalist, has had a remarkable year, winning several international tournaments, including the Asian Wrestling Championships and the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series. She is considered one of the top female freestyle wrestlers in the world and is known for her aggressive style of wrestling.
Sakshi Malik, on the other hand, is a former Olympic bronze medalist and has won several international tournaments, including the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Wrestling Championships. She is known for her quick thinking and grappling skills on the mat, which have helped her become one of the top female wrestlers in the world.
The ISWOTY award is one of the most prestigious awards in the world of sports and is given to athletes who have made a significant contribution to their sport. The winner of the award will be announced in the coming weeks, and both Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik will be hoping to walk away with the award.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, who won silver in Tokyo, as well as shuttler PV Sindhu and boxer Nikhat Zareen, made the list.
A jury of sports writers and journalists nominated their favourite players based on their accomplishments, and the athletes were chosen from a short list.
The winner will be determined by a public poll that will run from Monday until midnight on February 20. The winner will be announced on 5th of March. Ekta Bhyan, a gold winner at the 2018 Asian Para Games, commended the move and emphasised the need of increasing stadium accessibility for competitors with physical disabilities.