While Sakshi Malik and PV Sindhu hogged the limelight in our country ever since their medal-winning performance at the Rio Olympics 2016, it was the turn of Vinesh Phogat to be the 'woman of the moment' at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. For the first time, four sportspersons were conferred with the Khel Ratna which includes the two Olympic medalists along with Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai. On the other hand, among the 15 athletes receiving the Arjuna Award, Vinesh achieved something very special in her own terms.
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Across the country, Vinesh Phogat has a bunch of loyal supporters and it was proved inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan when the ministers and athletes cheered once she arrived in a wheelchair to receive the prestigious award.
There are multiple Arjuna Award winners in a given year. The Khel Ratna, on the other hand, is generally given to just one athlete, (though there have been exceptions) and is based on performance at international level i.e. Olympic/Asian/ Commonwealth/World Games/Championships/World Cup and equivalent recognized international tournaments over the four years prior to the year in which the award is given.
One of India's best medal bets, Vinesh, sat in a wheelchair at a corner in Durbar Hall, pondering over what could have happened had China’s Sun Yanan not twisted her knee in the 48-kg women's freestyle wrestling. The wrestler from the famous 'Phogat' family did not win a medal in the Summer Games but she certainly put up a resilient performance.
Also Read: It has been 6 days and I still cannot get over Vinesh Phogat's heartache
She started her campaign on a positive note beating Romania’s Emilia Alina Vuc by great superiority (11-0) in the Round of 16. In the quarter-final bout she took on China’s Sun Yanan, and had a 1-0 lead in the first round, but an unfortunate knee injury during the bout ended her hopes of a medal. The injury was not only excruciatingly painful but also wrecked her chances of winning a medal in her Olympic debut.
Courage, Determination, and Vinesh Phogat
The 21-year-old couldn’t walk off the mat and had to be carried off the venue on a stretcher and she was crying her heart out in disappointment. But what is fascinating here is the very fact that after her surgery in a Mumbai hospital, she showed great courage and determination in reaching Delhi to collect her award.
She received the Arjuna Award after President Pranab Mukherjee himself stepped forward to present her the trophy and citation. The Durbar Hall greeted her with a huge round of applause when her name was announced as a teary-eyed Vinesh barely managed a smile on the wheelchair with her right leg plastered.
Somehow holding back from breaking down, she said, "It's great to see how people have welcomed me here. This kind of reception has only given me the motivation to recover faster and get back on my feet as early as possible. I wish Tokyo Olympics happen very soon and I can compete there."
Earlier, the grappler from Haryana qualified for the Summer Games after putting up an impressive show en route the final of the qualifying event in Istanbul. At the previous qualifying event in Mongolia, Vinesh was found overweight by 400gm, which saw her being disqualified from the event. Let off with a warning after she had assured the Wrestling Federation of India of acquiring an Olympic berth for the country in her weight category in this tournament, Vinesh fulfilled her promise.
With an impressive showing at the Games, female wrestling is going through its best period ever and Vinesh can only take it to a higher pedestal. More importantly, this gesture will be in her memories forever and also in the memories of the countrymen. Let’s hope this will be a stepping stone for further success of the female wrestlers of our country in the international arena.
Nelson Mandela, once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
It requires great courage to overcome the biggest challenges in life. Vinesh has already done twice - Mongolia and in Rio.
