Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 hours after she grew to become the first Indian girl to attain an Olympic wrestling last
The highs and lows of life are obvious in the most stark type in the world of sports activities. Nowhere else are you able to go from blinding euphoria to crippling devastation in a matter of hours. Ask Vinesh Phogat. Last evening, the wrestler scripted historical past by changing into the first Indian girl to attain the last of a wrestling occasion in Olympic historical past. She was hailed as the queen of Indian sports activities. This morning, all of it got here crumbling down as the grappler was disqualified even earlier than she may take the mat for the last. The cause – she was chubby by 100 grams.
The Indian contingent is probably going to problem the ruling. But reviews point out that the verdict could also be a foregone conclusion now. The finish outcome may imply that Vinesh will miss out on that elusive Olympic medal. Let alone participating in the last, she gained’t get any spot on the podium. It’s heartbreaking for one among India’s most interesting and most resilient athletes, somebody who deserves that medal greater than most. But Vinesh’s triumph is greater than her achievements on the mat. It goes a lot past that, and for that cause, the proven fact that she could come again dwelling with out a medal does nothing to tarnish her legacy.
The final one yr has been the most tough in Vinesh Phogat’s life. The champion took to the streets protesting towards Wrestling Federation of India and BJP chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s alleged misconduct towards junior feminine wrestlers. Vinesh and her fellow Olympians – Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik – have been out on the streets for weeks. She was crushed, manhandled, and detained by the police and virtually submerged her prized medals in the river in protest. As if the psychological agony wasn’t sufficient, the wrestler then underwent an ACL harm that required surgical procedure.
Like a phoenix, she bounced again and this time, confronted an unforgiving qualification course of that she discovered unfair. Yet, Vinesh made it to the Olympics. What she did on the mat in Paris is nearly like a footnote to the journey she had earlier than that. Beating an undefeated four-time World Champion after which the European Champion back-to-back is the stuff of legends. But for Vinesh, these weren’t her hardest battles. Those have been fought on the pavements of Jantar Mantar final yr.
So sure, it’s gut-wrenching that this champ could return to India with out that Olympic medal round her neck, one thing she has deservedly earned. But the 100g she was discovered chubby by does nothing to negate her grit, expertise, and resilience to get there. In standing towards the system, beating an omnipotent ‘connected’ man like Brij Bhushan, and standing up for abuse victims throughout the world, Vinesh has achieved one thing far larger than an Olympic medal. She shall be a champion ceaselessly. The absence of a steel piece round her neck can not take that away from her!
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