4 min readMay 30, 2026 10:29 PM IST Antim Panghal selected for India's Asian Games wrestling squad after emerging victorious in 53 wait categories at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) women's selection trials held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on Saturday.
2 min readUpdated: Jun 4, 2026 11:50 PM IST
Vinesh Phogat was knocked out of the Asian Games selection trials in New Delhi
on Saturday after losing to Meenakshi Goyat 4-6 in a tense semifinal bout of the women’s 53kg event. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)The Wrestling Federation of India on Thursday said that it had received the reply of Vinesh Phogat‘s show cause notice which was issued on May 9. The national federation issued a statement after the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea by WFI against a Delhi High Court order, allowing the World Championships medallist Vinesh to participate in selection trials, terming it as “infructuous” in view of subsequent developments. “WFI has received the Respondent’s (Vinesh’s) reply to the Show Cause Notice, which shall be adjudicated in accordance with WFI’s rules and procedures,” WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh said in the statement as per PTI.“WFI further notes that the conduct of certain wrestlers at the Selection Trials is under consideration and a decision in that regard is yet to be taken,” he added. Last Saturday, Phogat‘s comeback to the wrestling mat ended in heartbreak as Asian Championships silver medallist Meenakshi Goyat defeated her in the semi-final of the Asian Games trials on Saturday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. Vinesh, who returned to the mat after two years, won two bouts but failed to make it past Meenakshi. Playing in the 53 kg category, Vinesh started with a 7-1 win over Jyoti but suffered a scare against Nishu in the next round. After she defeated Nishu in a highly charged bout which saw multiple stoppages and a scuffle at the end, Vinesh faced Meenakshi in the semis. Meenakshi played an aggressive game against Vinesh and attacked from the start and despite a late surge from Vinesh in the second half, won 6-4. Earlier this month, the WFI had declared Vinesh ineligible to participate in domestic events till June 26, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.
A defiant Vinesh, however, showed up at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda. (With PTI inputs)
3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jun 4, 2026 12:29 PM IST
The retro-inspired adventure game crossed 300,000 sales in its first three days. (Image: acht Club Games)Independent game studio Yacht Club Games has recorded an early success with Mina the Hollower, which sold 300,000 copies worldwide in three days. Released on May 29 across PC and consoles, including Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Steam, Mina the Hollower quickly attracted attention from both players and critics. The game follows Mina, who travels to the mysterious Tenebrous Isle to investigate the collapse of a powerful energy network. Players explore a gothic world filled with monsters, secrets, and interconnected environments, while a burrowing machine allows Mina to move underground, adding new possibilities for exploration and combat. Visually, the title draws inspiration from classic handheld games while incorporating modern gameplay features and quality-of-life improvements.According to a Bloomberg report, the strong launch performance has provided a measure of relief for Yacht Club Games, which has previously described the title as a crucial project for the studio’s future. Sean Velasco, the company’s co-founder and director, told Bloomberg that the sales milestone means the studio can continue operating without seeking outside investment or making significant reductions to its workforce.
The game’s success comes after a lengthy and financially demanding development cycle. Announced in 2022 alongside a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $1 million, Mina the Hollower ultimately spent more than six years in development and was delayed in late 2025 for additional polish. Yacht Club Games also paused work on a second project, a 3D version of Shovel Knight, and used much of its capital to complete the title. Earlier reports had highlighted the financial stakes involved. Yacht Club executives described the game as a ‘make-or-break’ moment for the company. At the time, Velasco said the approximately 15-person studio was depending heavily on the title’s commercial performance to secure its future. Velasco suggested that sales of 5,00,000 copies would place the company in a strong position, while 2,00,000 copies would still be considered a successful outcome. Lower sales, however, were viewed as a potential challenge for the studio’s long-term sustainability. Despite the strong early momentum, Velasco indicated that expectations remain high. In comments shared with Bloomberg, he noted that while the title has become the best-reviewed game of 2026, he had hoped its sales pace would be even stronger.Story continues below this ad
The performance of Mina the Hollower also reflects broader conditions within the gaming industry, where developers are competing in an increasingly crowded market. In addition to rival new releases, many studios face pressure from long-running live-service games that retain players for extended periods. Even so, the early response to Mina the Hollower represents a positive sign for Yacht Club Games as it seeks to maintain momentum following one of the studio’s most ambitious and high-risk projects to date. (This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
4 min readMay 30, 2026 10:29 PM IST
Antim Panghal selected for India's Asian Games wrestling squad after emerging victorious in 53 wait categories at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) women's selection trials held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on Saturday. Express Photo by Gajendra YadavOn a day when the presence of ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat hogged the limelight, two-time World Championships bronze medallist Antim Panghal reclaimed her standing in the 53 kg category after defeating Meenakshi Goyat in the Asian Games trials final at the IG Indoor Stadium. Antim, who represented India in the 53 kg category at the 2024 Paris Olympics, suffered a shocking loss against Meenakshi Goyat in the Asian Championships trial earlier this year. In the absence of Vinesh, Antim had owned the 53 kg category for the past two years before losing to Meenakshi.The loss against Meenakshi in the Asian Championships trial had hit Antim like a roadblock. “I lost to Meenakshi di last time in the trials. Before that I rarely lost in the trials and was going to international tours. When I lost the last time, it hit me a little hard,” said Antim. “I realised the importance of winning and worked extra hard this time.” On Saturday, Antim came up with a new strategy to counter Meenakshi’s game. During the six-minute bout, contrary to her playing style, Antim defended stoutly and foiled any attacking moves made by Meenakshi. “I lost to her last time while trying to attack but this time my plan was simple, not to give her my legs. Once I got that right, she tried other attacks but couldn’t get it done,” explained Antim. Last time, Antim tried to attack Meenakshi’s legs but paid the price and Meenakshi had countered her in the last moment to pin her. “The idea was to sit patiently and let her attack. When the opponent doesn’t get many chances, they panic and the same happened today,” Antim’s coach Siyanand Dahiya said. While Antim successfully executed her strategy, the bout was ultra defensive with the scoreline reading 3-2. Antim didn’t put forward any attacks and the three points she got were all technical points which resulted in Meenakshi protesting at the end of the bout. Meenakshi alleged that none of the decisions went in her favour. However, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), after a review, said the bout was won fairly by Antim. Before the trials started, the atmosphere inside the KD Jadhav Indoor hall was already heated. However, Antim didn’t let the drama happening around affect her and continued her usual business. Story continues below this ad She started her trials in dominant fashion taking down Tannu in 34 seconds. As the bout started, Antim grabbed onto her ankles and turned her over five times to take the win on technical superiority. After that, she pinned Himanshi with just as much ease to enter the semifinals. In the semifinals, she faced Commonwealth Games medallist Pooja Gehlot who put up some resistance. For the larger part of the bout, both wrestlers were locked at 1-1, however, Pooja’s attempt to attack Antim in the last moments resulted in the 2025 Worlds bronze medallist reversing it to take her down and make it 5-1. “My bouts were good and it was a competitive category. I think I executed my plans well and my final went really well,” said Antim, who will be one of India’s biggest medal hopes at the upcoming Asian Games. When asked about if the whole saga of Vinesh returning to the mat affected her performance, Antim said, “It is just another bout at the end of the day and when we are in a competition, we have to fight anyway.”Story continues below this ad With the Asian Games three months away, Antim has just played one international tournament this year. But with her regular presence at the international level, it is expected that she can provide some resistance against the wrestlers from Japan, China and North Korea at the continental showpiece.
Pritish Raj works with sports team at The Indian Express' and is based out
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