Vinesh Phogat returns to India after Paris 2024 Olympics heartbreak, moved to tears by grand welcome home
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was moved to tears after getting a grand reception on her return to India following the heartbreak at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The 29-year-old Vinesh landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Saturday. She was accompanied by family and friends, including Olympic medal-winning wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik.
Vinesh, adorned with numerous garlands, stood in an open Jeep, expressing her gratitude to all the supporters.
"I thank the entire country," said Vinesh, who is set to return home to her village in Haryana.
Olympic bronze medallist and India’s Chef-de-Mission at Paris 2024 Gagan Narang was on the same flight back to India.
“She came as a champion on Day 1 into the Games Village and she will always remain our champion. Sometimes one doesn’t need an Olympic medal to inspire a billion dreams,” he wrote on the social media page.
Vinesh Phogat, a two-time World Championships bronze medallist and three-time Commonwealth champion, had made it to the gold medal match in women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling at Paris 2024 before being disqualified for being slightly overweight.
Vinesh failed to make weight on the second day of the event and was ruled ineligible for the competition.
She was supposed to take on Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA in the gold medal bout on August 7. Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on the following day.
Hildebrandt won the gold medal after beating Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba, who was promoted to the final following Vinesh’s disqualification. The Indian had defeated Yusneylis Guzman in the semi-finals.
The 29-year-old Vinesh also secured a historic win over defending Olympic champion Yiu Susaki of Japan. Susaki had never been beaten by an international opponent before and had an 82-0 run until she met Vinesh
Despite the Paris 2024 Olympics ending with the Closing Ceremony on August 11, Vinesh remained in the French capital after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, seeking a shared silver medal. However, CAS rejected her application on Wednesday.