Decorated wrestler Vinesh Phogat — multiple medal winner at the World Championships, the Asian Games, and the Commonwealth Games, and now a mother — recently announced that she would stage a comeback to the sport. And her fellow ace Haryana wrestler Bajrang Punia, an Olympic medallist-turned-activist, was quick to offer his complete and unconditional support.
“We talked about her decision on the phone. If she can stage a comeback, why not? I have supported her in the past, and I continue to support her now. Whichever athlete has the motivation to represent the country, I will always stand with them,” Punia, the 65kg bronze medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, told Patriot.
Vinesh reached the 50kg freestyle final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she was disqualified for being overweight before the match against Sarah Hildebrandt of the US began. A series of attempts, including her request to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a joint silver medal, bore no fruit. Soon she retired from the sport.
The ace wrestler, who has many global medals under her belt, married wrestler Somvir Rathee in December 2018, and she gave birth to a baby boy, Kridhav, on July 1, 2025. And on December 13, she announced via X that she would return to wrestling and aim to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Decision
“I took time to understand the weight of my journey, the highs, the heartbreaks, the sacrifices, the versions of me the world never saw. And somewhere in that reflection, I found the truth: I still love this sport. I still want to compete,” Vinesh tweeted.
“So here I am, stepping back toward LA28 with a heart that’s unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bow. And this time, I’m not walking alone, my son is joining my team, my biggest motivation, my little cheerleader on this road to the LA Olympics,” she wrote.
After making her decision, Vinesh also spoke to Punia, who was happy for her. “When everyone, including the family, stands by you, only then is a big decision like this taken. The athlete can’t do it alone. And that is very obvious in her case as well,” he said.
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QUESTION OF AGE
Assuming the August 1994-born Vinesh qualifies for the Olympics, she would be close to 34 by the time the Games are held in July 2028. It would be a big challenge for her to get into shape — she has already started the process — and then beat the competition to qualify for the elusive Olympic medal.
Punia said age is just a number for an athlete. “Age does not matter; one should have the willpower. Age may matter in some places, but if you have the belief deep inside you that ‘Yes, I have to do it’, then you can play until 34 or 35 years old. Age is not a big issue,” he said.
Vinesh competed in the 50kg category at the 2024 Olympics. Now, it remains to be seen in what shape she will be close to the Olympic qualification round and whether or not she would require to change her weight category.
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