Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s journey at the Paris Olympics 2024 may have ended without a medal, but the outpouring of love and respect from her fans has made her mother believe that it outweighs any gold medal.
Upon her arrival in India on Saturday, Vinesh was greeted by a roaring crowd at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Overcome with emotion, she broke down in tears as she was welcomed by family and loved ones.
“Everyone from our village and nearby areas have come here to welcome her. We will felicitate her… she is a champion for me. The country has given her more honor than a gold medal,” said her mother, Premlata, to ANI.
Premlata also revealed that she had prepared Vinesh’s favorite meal to welcome her home. Vinesh is expected to travel to her native village Balali later in the day.
Despite qualifying for the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling final, Vinesh was not allowed to compete due to weighing in 100gm over the weight limit on the second day. However, her mother believes that this setback will only fuel her determination to win an Olympic gold medal.
“Preparations are underway in her native village to welcome her… She couldn’t win the medal but we will work hard and surely win the Olympic gold medal,” said Vinesh’s brother, Harinder Punia.
Vinesh has previously paid tribute to her mother’s unwavering spirit, revealing that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer just two months after her father’s death.
“Seeing my mother’s hardships, never-give-up attitude, and fighting spirit is what makes me the way I am. She taught me to fight for what is rightfully mine. When I think about courage, I think about her, and it is this courage that helps me fight every fight without thinking about the outcome,” Vinesh had written.
Vinesh’s journey may have ended in Paris without a medal, but the love and support she has received from her fans and family have made it a victory in its own right.
