Vinesh Phogat, India’s ace wrestler, has declared her retirement from wrestling just hours after being disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024.
She announced the news in an early morning post on social media platform X on Thursday.
“Wrestling won the match against me, I lost… my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all…,” Vinesh posted on X.
The wrestler lost her chance to compete for the gold medal after being disqualified for being overweight in the morning weigh-in on Wednesday, following her magnificent performance on Tuesday when she surprised Japan’s previously unbeaten Yui Susaki in her first bout.
Vinesh made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to reach the Olympic final. However, her redemption narrative following a dismal performance at the Tokyo Olympics ended in misery when she was disqualified from the tournament after being discovered overweight in the second weigh-in on the morning of the final.
Vinesh was discovered 100 grams over the limit for 50 kg and so ruled out of the competition, placing last according to United World Wrestling rules.
She had stayed awake and worked hard all night with her coach, support team, and the top medical officer of the Indian contingent to lose the weight she had gained in order to refill the essential fluids lost in the three fights and reach 50 kg, but she was still 100 gm overweight.
She was so dehydrated by her efforts that she had to be admitted to the polyclinic in the Games Village for IV drips.
Source:IANS