Wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday announced that she is ending her retirement and making a comeback with LA Olympics in 2028.
Why is Phogat ending her retirement?
Vinesh shared that many people kept asking her whether the Paris Olympics would be her last, and for a long time she didn’t know the answer. She said she needed distance from the pressure and expectations, and even her own goals. She said that this was the first time in many years that she allowed herself to simply “pause and breathe”.
She explained that taking time away helped her understand the weight of her journey and all its aspects including the successes, the disappointments, and the sacrifices. Phogat added that through that reflection, she realised she still loves wrestling and still wants to compete.
Vinesh further added that earlier where there was just constant noise and exhaustion, she has now found her inner fire. She reiterated that a part of her never left the mat.
Phogat then announced that she is now preparing for the LA 2028 Olympics with renewed confidence and determination. This time, she said, her young son will also be joining her as her biggest source of motivation.
Phogat’s retirement
Vinesh, had stepped away from the sport after the controversy at the Paris Olympics. She had retired after one of the most painful moments in Indian sports.
Despite making it to the gold-medal match in Paris, she was disqualified just hours before the final for being 100 grams over the weight limit, ending her chance to become the first Indian woman to compete for an Olympic wrestling gold.
