Three-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat announced her return to wrestling on Friday, a year after retiring in the wake of her Paris Olympics disqualification.
In a heartfelt post on X, Phogat reflected on her journey. “People kept asking if Paris was the end. For a long time, I didn’t have the answer. I needed to step away from the mat, from the pressure, from the expectations, even from my own ambitions. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to breathe,” she wrote.
She explained that reflection rekindled her passion for the sport. “I still love this sport. I still want to compete. In that silence, I found something I’d forgotten—the fire never left. The discipline, the routine, the fight… It’s in my system.”
Phogat declared her intent to aim for Los Angeles 2028, adding, “This time, I’m not walking alone. My son is joining my team, my biggest motivation, my little cheerleader on this road to the Los Angeles Olympics.”
Phogat’s career achievements include two World Championships bronze medals, an Asian Games gold, and three Commonwealth Games golds. She remains the only Indian woman wrestler to win gold at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.
On August 8, 2024, Phogat retired after being disqualified from the 50kg Paris Olympics final for weighing 100 grams over the permissible limit. The setback marked one of the lowest points in her career.
Beyond wrestling, Phogat serves as a member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly, representing Julana on a Congress ticket. She won her seat by defeating BJP candidate Yogesh Kumar with a margin of 6,015 votes.
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