Vinesh Phogat retires from wrestling, says she has no strength left after Paris Olympics ordeal

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from wrestling after a gruelling experience at the Paris Olympics that saw her being disqualified from the tournament after making the final.

Vinesh failed to make weight during the second weigh-in (on the day of the final) and was disqualified from the tournament, losing her assured medal too along the way.

The 29-year-old Vinesh had become the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final in wrestling. Sakshi Malik, the only other woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal for India, had clinched a bronze medal at Rio 2016.

In a social media post in the wee hours of Thursday morning, Vinesh posted on her X account: “Mother wrestling, you’ve beaten me. Forgive me. My dreams are shattered. My courage is broken. I don’t have any more strength now.”

“Goodbye wrestling. I’ll always be indebted to you. Sorry.”

A two-time Olympian, Vinesh has three Commonwealth Games golds, two World Championships bronze medals and one Asian Games gold medal to her name. She was also crowned Asian champion in 2021.

Vinesh hails from the illustrious Phogat wrestling family. Her cousins, Geeta, Sangeeta and Babita are also wrestlers. Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia is married to her cousin Sangeeta.