"The day my father left us, all I was left with were his thoughts about flying in the plane" - Vinesh Phogat's emotional post after losing CAS appeal
Vinesh Phogat composed an emotional, inspiring and highly descriptive note on social media a couple of days after her appeal against Olympic disqualification was dismissed by the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport).
Vinesh, who made it to the gold medal match in the women's 50 kg freestyle event at the Paris Olympics, was found to be overweight by 100 grams ahead of the final.
The Indian wrestler who announced her retirement after the disqualification penned a note that traces her incredible journey all the way back to when she lost her doting father, who inspired her to dream big.
"My father, an ordinary bus driver, would tell me that one day he would see his daughter fly high in a plane while he would drive on the road below, that only I would turn my father's dreams into a reality. I don't want to say it, but I think I was his favourite child because I was the youngest of the three," she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"But the day my father left us, all I was left with were his thoughts and words about flying in that plane."
Vinesh also went on to describe how she and her siblings lost their childhood to support a single mother who was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer.
"My mother's dream was now further away because a couple months after my father's death she was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Here began the journey of three kids who would lose their childhood to support their single mother," the wrestler from Haryana added.
Vinesh Phogat thanks Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and Dr. Wayne Lombard, among others
Vinesh Phogat also thanked those who helped her overcome the challenges over the past couple of years.
The 29-year-old specially mentioned her support staff, including Tejinder Kaur, Olympian Gagan Narang, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, and strength and conditioning specialist Dr. Wayne Lombard, among others.
Significantly, Vinesh Phogat heaped praise on Dr Pardiwala for his "dedication, kindness, and honesty" in the backdrop of the Chief Medical Officer coming under scrutiny following her disqualification.
"His (Dr Pardiwala's) dedication, kindness and honesty towards his work and towards Indian Sports is something no one will doubt including God. I'm forever grateful to him and his entire team for their work and dedication. As a part of the Indian contingent having him present at the Paris Olympics was a god's gift for all fellow athletes," Phogat wrote.
Dr. Wayne Lombard, who also worked with the Indian women's hockey team as an advisor, was lauded by Vinesh, who described his approach as "kind, patient and creative" while helping her bounce back after injury.
"He (Lombard) has helped me through the most difficult journey that an athlete faces not once but twice. Science is one side, no doubt about his expertise, but his kind, patient and creative approach toward handling complicated injuries has gotten me so far," she wrote.
Vinesh Phogat overcame Tokyo 2021 gold medalist Yui Susaki in the round of 16 before getting past Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba in the semifinals of the 50 kg freestyle event at the Paris Olympics.