From being an Olympic medal contender to an unfortunate disqualification and finishing last, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's world turned upside down in a matter of hours. Following her exit from the Olympics 2024, Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has now shared a heartwarming post, offering a show of support for Phogat.
Sonu posted on X (formerly Twitter), "When you achieve something which way above any medal. That's what you have achieved my friend @Phogat_Vinesh."
"So proud of you. Let's give her such a warm welcome that every athlete in this country irrespective of any win or lose can proudly say "THATS MY INDIA," he concluded.
Vinesh Phogat was to feature in a gold-medal bout in the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics. The three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist was disqualified ahead of the final after she was found weighing 100 grams over the 50-kg weight limit for her event.
Despite an entire night of hard work and some rigorous sessions in the sauna, she failed to reduce her weight. Vinesh also decided to lodge a protest at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday, challenging her elimination.
Later, sharing a post on social media Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from competitive wrestling. She said that wrestling won the final bout against her and she lost. "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 forever be in your debt," the 29-year-old said on X.
Having made her professional debut in 2001, Vinesh had a brilliant start to her Paris Olympics campaign having clinched a win against the top seed and Japan's defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the opening round. In the quarter-finals, Vinesh beat former European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine. The Indian wrestler secured another convincing victory against the reigning Pan American Games champion Yusneylis Guzman in the semi-final. Phogat was set to take on sixth-seeded American Sarah Hildebrandt in the gold-medal decider.
