Fired up, Vinesh breaking a sweat for comeback

Vinesh Phogat (31), now a mother and a legislator, but always a fierce competitor on the wrestling mat, announced her return to wrestling. She has been sweating it out in training in Bengaluru, away from the limelight, for about a month. She is eyeing a comeback at the next Los Angeles Olympics, nearly two years away.

Before the Olympics, she is targeting the Asian Games in Japan next September, with trials expected in June. “She has prepared a roadmap for her return and will participate in the trials in June,” said her close aide.

“The sporting arena is full of comeback tales, and Vinesh hopes to add her own. She became a mother in July and regained fitness through basketball. Though she crossed over 60 kg, she will focus on returning to her competitive category of 53 or 57 kg,” said a source, adding “vo mardani chori hai”.

Vinesh drew inspiration from wrestler Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan, who returned twice to the Olympics after becoming a mother. After her son's birth in 2010, Stadnik won silver in 2012, and after becoming a mother again in 2013, she won silver at the 2016 Olympics. “She never expected to leave wrestling like this, when she missed a medal in the London Olympics after being disqualified before the final match. She wanted to make it memorable. This itch has made her restless,” said the aide.

When she says on social media that “the fire never left”, it indicates a commitment she has made to herself and the country. Vinesh’s comeback attempt rides high on her motivational social media note. Close family members say it is a well-thought-out decision.

Tejpal Dalal, a wrestling historian, said returning to the sporting arena is one of the toughest decisions for any sportsperson, especially for a woman. “Her announcement reflects her nerves of steel. Her Olympic fiasco hurt her, not just on the mat, but outside it as well. She defeated Japanese four-time world champion Yui Susaki, but missed the podium dramatically after being found 100 gm overweight before the final bout and was disqualified,” he said.

She, along with wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, joined the Delhi dharna over allegations of harassment of women wrestlers as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief came under fire. Amid the controversy, when she left for the Paris Olympics, expectations were high.

When she got disqualified, while sports lovers were shocked, a section taunted her. Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleged that she dodged trials to go to London Olympics. Now, balancing the responsibilities of an MLA and motherhood, the challenges before her are many. Yet, with this decision, she appears ready to script a new fight-back story. She hopes to bow out after a victory, as she once felt forgotten—a thought that haunted her.

Vinesh Phogat (31), now a mother and a legislator, but always a fierce competitor on the wrestling mat, announced her return to wrestling. She has been sweating it out in training in Bengaluru, away from the limelight, for about a month. She is eyeing a comeback at the next Los Angeles Olympics, nearly two years away.

Before the Olympics, she is targeting the Asian Games in Japan next September, with trials expected in June. “She has prepared a roadmap for her return and will participate in the trials in June,” said her close aide.

“The sporting arena is full of comeback tales, and Vinesh hopes to add her own. She became a mother in July and regained fitness through basketball. Though she crossed over 60 kg, she will focus on returning to her competitive category of 53 or 57 kg,” said a source, adding “vo mardani chori hai”.

Vinesh drew inspiration from wrestler Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan, who returned twice to the Olympics after becoming a mother. After her son's birth in 2010, Stadnik won silver in 2012, and after becoming a mother again in 2013, she won silver at the 2016 Olympics. “She never expected to leave wrestling like this, when she missed a medal in the London Olympics after being disqualified before the final match. She wanted to make it memorable. This itch has made her restless,” said the aide.

When she says on social media that “the fire never left”, it indicates a commitment she has made to herself and the country. Vinesh’s comeback attempt rides high on her motivational social media note. Close family members say it is a well-thought-out decision.

Tejpal Dalal, a wrestling historian, said returning to the sporting arena is one of the toughest decisions for any sportsperson, especially for a woman. “Her announcement reflects her nerves of steel. Her Olympic fiasco hurt her, not just on the mat, but outside it as well. She defeated Japanese four-time world champion Yui Susaki, but missed the podium dramatically after being found 100 gm overweight before the final bout and was disqualified,” he said.

She, along with wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, joined the Delhi dharna over allegations of harassment of women wrestlers as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief came under fire. Amid the controversy, when she left for the Paris Olympics, expectations were high.

When she got disqualified, while sports lovers were shocked, a section taunted her. Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleged that she dodged trials to go to London Olympics. Now, balancing the responsibilities of an MLA and motherhood, the challenges before her are many. Yet, with this decision, she appears ready to script a new fight-back story. She hopes to bow out after a victory, as she once felt forgotten—a thought that haunted her.