- August 18, 2024 02:30Felicitation ended at 1:50am
After waiting for almost half a day, Vinesh Phogat’s village got to celebrate her homecoming with her. It’s been a long journey on the road for the Olympian whose journey touched a number of areas in Haryana where she was honoured and consoled. The rally-type journey was organised by Bajrang Punia and Vinesh’s family for the wrestler who garnered immense support as she appealed for a joint silver in the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh began the day in tears, seeing all the support she was getting. Wellwishers and supporters shared glasses of milk, honoured her with garlands and blessings. It was around 1 am by the time she made it to her village Balali. An elaborate felicitation with song and dance awaited her here. She was honoured with a gold medal by the village elders, as they had promised a few days ago.
She gave a moving speech to those who had waited to see her and welcome her.
A few days ago, Vinesh posted a long message on her X account thanking her support staff for all their contributions over the past few years. She also seemingly left the door ajar on her wrestling career. Could we see a possible return from the wrestler? While she’s sure of not setting her sight on a mat anytime soon, never say never, we guess!
It’s been a marathon of a day, but sporting action continues around the world. Catch up with it all on Sportstar. That’s all from this live coverage.
- August 18, 2024 02:23Vinesh’s husband Somvir had addressed the media earlier today
Somvir strikingly said: On the face of it, everyone knew Vinesh had three bouts through the day, but the real wrestle was in the night, with the weight. We tried everything we could and some more but it wasn’t acceptable to the almighty. There was a medal. It could have been gold, it could have been silver. But there was a medal. The fact that we couldn’t bring it for India is something we will regret for the rest of our lives.
- August 18, 2024 02:12VINESH SPEAKS
I don’t know if I am even worthy of such love and respect. I am blessed to be born in a place like this.
I want to teach the sisters of my village whatever little I know in wrestling so they can step up and take my place and do the country proud. I hope you will all support my sisters and give them your blessings.
I am indebted to you all for turning up for me. My heartfelt gratitude.
- August 18, 2024 01:46Vinesh gets her medal! A bittersweet moment for the wrestler
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat was presented a gold medal by the her native villagers of Balali in Haryana on Sunday as a felicitation ceremony was held for the grappler who returned home after facing disqualification from the Paris Olympics.
Video: PTI
- August 18, 2024 01:27Vinesh: The love people have given me is more than 1,000 Gold medals
Earlier in the day, Vinesh hailed the people coming out in large numbers to show support for her.
- August 18, 2024 01:23Song and dance for Vinesh in Balali
Vinesh first went to the local temple and paid her respects. There’s now a full-fledged felicitation underway for the wrestler who made the Olympic final in Paris.
Take a look at the crowds seated at 1:20am in Balali.
- August 18, 2024 01:09Vinesh arrives in Balali
After being on the road for most part of the day, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and others have reached Vinesh’s native village of Balali in Haryana. A massive crowd, which includes over 60 women, are waiting to welcome her. Over five turbans, garlands of notes and other paraphernalia has been set aside to honour her.
I don’t think the athlete is famished as she’s been regularly gifted glasses of milk along her convoy route.
- August 18, 2024 01:06Vinesh’s brother on her return
“Vinesh is returning to the country. People have come here at the (Delhi) airport to welcome her. People are also waiting to welcome her at our village. People are excited to meet Vinesh and encourage her,” her brother Harvinder Phogat said.
- August 18, 2024 00:33Vinesh arrives in Charkhi Dadri
- August 17, 2024 23:13A champion, medal or otherwise
With a large number of men and women from her native village Balali, and the neighbouring areas in Haryana thronging the Indira Gandhi International Airport, dancing to the drum beats, and raising slogans -- “Dal Bhati Churma, Hamari Behan Surma” and “Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Vinesh Tera Naam Rahega” -- emotional looking wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from Paris Olympics for being around 100 gm over the weight limit after reaching the 50 kg final, returned to India on Saturday.
Read Ashok Kumar’s piece here from Haryana
- August 17, 2024 22:49The wait for Vinesh continues
Dholis are arriving in Ballali with Vinesh yet to arrive. She’s made plenty of pitstops along the way from the Delhi airport to her village, meeting well-wishers and fans along the way.
- August 17, 2024 22:04What Woller Akos revealed about Vinesh Phogat’s weigh-in failure
In a Facebook post in Hungarian, which was deleted soon after, Akos revealed details about the 15-odd hours leading to Vinesh’s second weigh-in, as reported by the Indian Express.
“After the semi-final, 2.7 kg of excess weight was left; we exercised for one hour and twenty minutes, but 1.5 kg still remained. Later, after 50 minutes of sauna, not a drop of sweat appeared on her. There was no choice left, and from midnight to 5:30 in the morning, she worked on different cardio machines and wrestling moves, about three-quarters of an hour at one go, with two-three minutes of rest. Then she started again. She collapsed, but somehow we got her up, and she spent an hour in the sauna. I don’t intentionally write dramatic details, but I only remember thinking that she might die.
“We had an interesting conversation that night, returning from the hospital. Vinesh Phogat said, ‘Coach, don’t be sad because you told me that if I find myself in any difficult situation and need extra energy, I should think that I beat the best woman wrestler (Yui Susaki) in the world. I achieved my goal, I proved that I am one of the best in the world. We have proved that the gameplans work. Medals, podiums are just objects. Performance cannot be taken away.”
- August 17, 2024 21:20Vinesh is yet to reach her village Balali
The festivities may go well into the night as Vinesh and her travelling party are still quite far away from her native village Ballali. We’ll keep showing you glimpses of the preparations underway to receive her.
- August 17, 2024 17:54In Pictures | Vinesh Phogat receives emotional welcome upon return to India after Paris Olympics heartbreak
- August 17, 2024 16:51There weren’t many like Vinesh Phogat, and there won’t be many like her
Vinesh Phogat tribute: A once-in-a-lifetime wrestler who defied hardships like no other
Vinesh Phogat’s career might not have ended with the grandstand finish she truly deserved, and she may well return to the sport and win a few more medals. But Indian sport was lucky to witness a journey as hardy as hers.
- August 17, 2024 15:03Vinesh on her career after the Paris 2024 Olympics ordeal
“Maybe under different circumstances, I could see myself playing till 2032, because the fight in me and wrestling in me will always be there. I can’t predict what the future holds for me, and what awaits me in this journey next but I am sure that I will continue to fight always for what I believe in and for the right thing.”
- August 17, 2024 14:03Vinesh to leave for her village in Haryana
- August 17, 2024 12:12An emotional homecoming!
- August 17, 2024 11:18Rapturous welcome!
- August 17, 2024 10:58Champion wrestler returns home!
Vinesh Phogat breaks down in tears on return to India after Paris Olympics heartbreak
Champion wrestler Vinesh Phogat arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Saturday following the heartbreak in Paris Olympics where she was disqualified for being overweight after reaching the 50kg final.
- August 17, 2024 10:42Celebrations in full swing!
- August 17, 2024 10:19All set for Vinesh’s arrival!
- August 17, 2024 09:46Another look at the CAS verdict on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal for a joint-silver
- August 17, 2024 09:16Security arrangements ready at the IGI airport for Vinesh’s arrival
- August 17, 2024 08:32Here’s the response from the Wrestling Federation of India to Delhi HC’s decision
- August 17, 2024 07:58ICYMI: What did the Delhi HC say in its latest judgement regarding petition filed by Vinesh and others?
- August 17, 2024 05:41Vinesh would not have retired ‘under different circumstances’
Vinesh Phogat: Maybe under different circumstances, I could see myself playing till 2032
Vinesh Phogat said that she would not have announced her retirement shortly after being disqualified from Paris 2024 Olympics and could have continued till 2032 “under different circumstances” in a long post on social media.
- August 17, 2024 05:40Vinesh to land in New Delhi on Saturday
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