Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat made her triumphant return to India on Saturday following her campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024. The reception she received from the crowd was nothing short of overwhelming. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the IGI airport in New Delhi to give Vinesh a rousing welcome. Despite being disqualified for exceeding the weight limit after reaching the 50kg final at the Olympics, the outpouring of support for Vinesh was truly remarkable. Her appeal against the disqualification was unfortunately rejected by the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Amidst the grand welcome in Delhi, a heartwarming moment was captured in Vinesh's native village in Haryana. Upon her arrival in Balali, Haryana, Vinesh shared an emotional embrace with her uncle and mentor, Mahavir Singh Phogat. Throughout Vinesh's ordeal at the Olympics, Mahavir had been a constant source of support and encouragement.
The heartfelt embrace shared between the two individuals stirred emotions among netizens and fans alike.
On August 8, Vinesh shared a poignant message to announce her retirement from wrestling. However, the overwhelming support and warmth shown by her fans have given her the strength to move forward and embrace the next chapter of her life.
"As I got love from my fellow Indians, my village and my family members, I guess I would get some courage to make this wound heal. Maybe, I could return to wrestling," Vinesh told the media.
"I just want to say that missing the Olympic medal is the biggest wound in my life. I don't know how much time it would take to heal this wound. I don't know if I would pursue wrestling or not but the kind of courage I got today (Saturday), I want to use that in the right direction," she added.
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