India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, met with wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the athlete's village after she announced her retirement following her disqualification from Paris Olympics 2024. During their meeting, Bindra, who won gold in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, expressed his admiration for Phogat’s determination and resilience. He shared images from their interaction and praised her for embodying the true spirit of a warrior.
Phogat, who became the first Indian female wrestler to reach an Olympic final, was disqualified from the women’s freestyle 50kg category after failing to make weight by 100 grams on the day of her bout. The disqualification cost her a chance at both gold and a guaranteed silver medal.
"It is said that sport is a celebration of human will. I have known that to be true many times in my career but never has it resonated more than today. As I look around me, I see a nation and its people celebrate your unyielding resolve. You are a fighter – on and off the mat. Through you, we are learning what it means to never lose the fight in us, even as a loss weighs heavily. You embody the true spirit of a warrior, Bindra wrote on X.
"Not all victories look alike. Some end up as a glittering souvenir in a cabinet but the ones that matter more find their way into the stories we tell our children. And every child in this country will know the champion you are. Every child will grow up wanting to face life with the resilience you have displayed. I thank you for that," he added.