Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has officially announced her comeback to professional wrestling, putting an end to her retirement that followed the controversy at the Paris Olympics. On Friday, December 12, she confirmed her return, expressing her determination to continue pursuing her Olympic dream.
In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Vinesh shared that her 18-month break gave her time to reflect on the future of her career and plan her next steps in the sport.
It’s worth noting that Vinesh also ventured into politics, winning the Julana constituency in the Haryana Assembly elections last year by a margin of 6,000 votes.
“People kept asking if Paris was the end. For a long time, I didn’t have the answer. I needed to step away from the mat, from the pressure, from the expectations, even from my own ambitions. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to breathe.
“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.
“In that silence, I found something I’d forgotten ‘the fire never left’. It was only buried under exhaustion and noise. The discipline, the routine, the fight… it’s in my system. No matter how far I walked away, a part of me stayed on the mat.
“So here I am, stepping back toward LA28 with a heart that’s unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bow.”
Phogat, who welcomed a baby boy in July, shared that her little one will be cheering her on as she begins the second chapter of her wrestling career. She is set to become one of the elite Indian athletes to make a comeback to competitive sports after giving birth.
“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.”