Vinesh usually competes in the 53kg weight class but decided to switch to the 50kg category for the Paris Olympics. Since her natural weight was higher than 50kg, she had to take extreme measures to meet the weight limit.

To make weight, Vinesh cut her hair and even tried drawing some blood, hoping it would help her fit into the 50kg category. She also did cycling exercises to sweat off some pounds, but these efforts didn’t fully work. Her weight had increased by 1kg the night before the weigh-in, so she managed to lose 900 grams but couldn’t lose the final 100 grams.

Athletes like Vinesh have a specific time to weigh in and if they’re over the limit, they are given a short window to reduce their weight. For example, if weighed in at 8:05 PM and found overweight, they might have until 8:30 PM to make weight. If they don’t make it by 8:31 PM, they can't improve their weight further.

Vinesh was so determined to make the weight that she went straight to training after her bouts, skipped meals, and began training the next morning. Her coach had considered cutting her hair before the Olympics to help her reduce a small amount of weight but didn’t do it. At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh had to cut her hair herself to try and meet the weight requirement.