Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat breaks down as she arrives at Delhi's IGI Airport from Paris after participating in the Paris Olympics 2024.
Vinesh Phogat was seen in tears as she arrived at Delhi airport on Saturday, August 17. She received a historic welcome after her fantastic performance at the Paris Olympics 2024. Several notable people, including Congress MP Deepender Hooda, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and others, were at the airport to welcome the wrestler.
Earlier in the morning, Phogat's family, friends, relatives and fans eagerly waited outside Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to greet her.
Videos surfaced where they can be seen dancing and celebrating to mark the 29-year-old ace grappler's return.
After her triumphant win in the semi-final 50 Kg women’s freestyle wrestling match, Vinesh Phogat made it to the finals of the Paris Olympic games but was disqualified for exceeding the weight criteria by 100 grams.
On August 7, she sought the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and petitioned to grant her a silver medal, but the CAS dismissed her application. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said it is “exploring further legal options” after dismissing the plea.
On August 16, Vinesh Phogat penned an emotional note on X expressing her journey and thanking everybody who has helped her so far.
Her letter starts with, “Olympic rings: As a small girl from a small village, I did not know what the Olympics were or what these rings meant. As a small girl, I dream of things like long hair, flaunting a mobile phone in my hand, and doing all these things that any young girl would normally dream of.”
The letter further states, “But survival taught me a lot. Seeing my mother's hardships, never-give-up attitude, and fighting spirit is what makes me the way I am. She taught me to fight for what is rightfully mine. When I think about courage, I think about her, and it is this courage that helps me fight every fight without thinking about the outcome.”
She also thanked the people who have supported her so far, including Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Dr Wayne Patrick Lombard, Coach Woller Akos, Physio Ashwini Jeevan Patil, Tajinder Kaur, the Olympic Gold Quest team, and Gagan Narang.
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