PM Narendra Modi praises wrestler Vinesh Phogat despite Olympic setback

Wrestler was disqualified from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently praised wrestler Vinesh Phogat for her groundbreaking performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. During a meeting with Indian Olympians at his residence on Independence Day, Modi highlighted Phogat’s historic accomplishment as the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final.

“Vinesh became the first Indian woman to reach the finals in wrestling, which is a matter of great pride for all of us,” PM Modi said while addressing the Olympic contingent.

Vinesh Phogat, a 29-year-old wrestler from Haryana, made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final. However, her Olympic dream took a devastating turn when she was disqualified from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout. Officials found her to be “a few grams over” the weight limit on the morning of the final match.

PM Narendra Modi Interacts with the #IndianOlympic Contingent.PM praises Vinesh Phogat, says, "She became the first Indian wrestler to reach the finals in the Olympics, which is a matter of pride…"@narendramodi | #VineshPhogat pic.twitter.com/4cfrHPGTgS

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) August 16, 2024

The wrestler has had a stellar career, winning three Commonwealth Games gold medals, two World Championships bronze medals and an Asian Games gold. She was also crowned Asian champion in 2021.

Following her disqualification, Phogat appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting a joint silver medal in her weight category. Unfortunately, the CAS dismissed her petition, ending her hopes for an Olympic medal.

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In the aftermath of this heartbreak, Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on social media.

The 2024 Paris Olympics saw 117 Indian athletes compete across 16 sports. While hopes were high for a record-breaking performance, India finished with six medals – one silver and five bronze. This fell just short of their previous best at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they won seven medals, including one gold.

Even though Phogat didn’t win a medal, PM Modi’s words show that her achievement in reaching the final is still important for Indian sports. Her story shows how Indian athletes are getting better on the world stage, but also highlights the tough challenges they face.

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