Vinesh Phogat: "We did not give up," Indian Wrester pens emotional message for India

Vinesh Phogat, the Indian wrestler who had an unforgettable week at the Paris Olympics, penned an emotional message for all the Indians after returning home. Vinesh, who had successfully beaten the current world champion, a former European champion to become the first-ever Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympic finals, was disqualified from the tournament due to being overweight on the day of the final.

Read Also: Explained: What is the weigh-in rule in Wrestling? Why was Vinesh Phogat disqualified from Paris Olympics 2024? 

Though Vinesh and the Indian Olympic Association had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for the 50kg weight category silver medal, it was dismissed on Wednesday. 

Vinesh had already announced her retirement from wrestling after her disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024, but feels, she could see myself playing till 2032.

Read Also | Some major controversies of Paris Olympics 2024

Here is what Vinesh penned on social media

"Olympic rings: as a small girl from a small village I did not know what was the Olympics or what these rings meant. As a small girl, 1 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.
My father, an ordinary bus driver, would tell me that one day he would see his daughter fly high in a plane while he would drive on the road below, that only I would turn my father's dreams into a reality. I don't want to say it, but I think I was his favourite child because I was the youngest of the three. When he used to tell me about this I used to laugh at the absurd thought of it, it did not mean much to me. My mother, who could have a whole story written on the hardships of her life, only dreamt that all her children would one day live a life better than she did. Being independent and her kids being up on their own feet was enough of a dream for her. Her wishes and dreams were much more simple than my father's.

But the day my father left us, all I was left with were his thoughts and words about flying in that plane. I was confused about its meaning then but held that dream close to me anyway. My mother's dream was now further away because a couple of months after my father's death she was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Here began the journey of three kids who would lose their childhood to support their single mother. Soon my dreams of long hair, a mobile phone faded as I faced the reality of life and got into the race for survival.

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.

Despite a difficult road ahead we as a family never lost our faith in god and always trusted that he had planned the right things for us. Mother always said God will never let bad things happen to good people. I believed this even more when I crossed paths with Somvir, my husband, soulmate, companion and best friend for life. Somvir has taken every place in my life with his companionship and supported me with each role he took. To say we were equal partners when we faced a challenge would be wrong, for he sacrificed at each step and took my hardships, shielding me always. He placed my journey above his and offered his companionship with utmost loyalty, dedication and honesty. If not for him, I cannot imagine being here, continuing my fight and taking each day head-on. This is only possible because I know he is standing with me, behind me and when needed in front of me, always protecting me.

My journey here has allowed me to meet so many people, most good and some bad. In the past 1.5-2 years, a lot has happened off and on the mat. My life took many turns, felt like life took a stop for good and there was no way out from the pit we were in. But the people around me had honesty in them, they had goodwill and massive support for me. These people and their faith in me was so strongly grounded, it is because of them that I could continue through the challenges and get through the past 2 years."

Vinesh Phogat pens an emotional message for India!#VineshPhogat #indiansports #Paris2024 #Olympics #Olympics2024 #sports pic.twitter.com/icteELGfKQ

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) August 16, 2024