Vinesh Phogat announces retirement from wrestling: 'I don't have strength, wrestling won, I lost'

Vinesh Phogat’s decision to retire comes a day after she was disqualified for competing in her gold medal match at Paris Olympics 2024.

Indian grappler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on Thursday (August 8) following her heartbreaking disqualification from Paris Olympics 2024 just hours before her gold medal bout. Vinesh, who by reaching the women’s 50kg category gold medal match, had become the first Indian woman to qualify for the wrestling final at the Olympics was on the cusp of history. She was scheduled to face Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA in the gold medal match on Wednesday.

A dejected Vinesh bid adieu to wrestling via a social media post. She wrote, “Wrestling won and I lost. My drams and my courage are shattered. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt.”

माँ कुश्ती मेरे से जीत गई मैं हार गई माफ़ करना आपका सपना मेरी हिम्मत सब टूट चुके इससे ज़्यादा ताक़त नहीं रही अब।अलविदा कुश्ती 2001-2024 🙏आप सबकी हमेशा ऋणी रहूँगी माफी 🙏🙏

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 7, 2024

The 29-year-old, who had already secured at least a silver medal and was to play for gold, was disqualified from the competition and stripped of her medal after failing to meet the weigh-in on the morning of the gold medal bout, which showed that she was 100 grams above the permissible limit.

Also Read: Explained: How medals will be decided at Paris Olympics 2024 & what does weigh in rule say as Vinesh Phogat disqualified?

Also Read: Vinesh Phogat files appeal with CAS to reinstate medal at Paris Olympics 2024

According to reports, Vinesh was around two kilograms overweight the previous night and had stayed up whole night trying to shed the excess weight through exercise, avoiding food and fluids as well as cutting her hair short. However, despite all efforts by her, the coaches and other support staff, she was still found to be 100 grams approx. beyond the limit.

Later on Wednesday night, Vinesh had filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) challenging her disqualification and asking to be awarded a shard silver medal. The matter is set be taken up on Thursday morning.

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