New Delhi | The cheers were loud, the emotions raw and the expectations of a fairytale comeback unmistakable, but Vinesh Phogat's return to competitive wrestling ended in heartbreak on Saturday following a 4-6 loss against Meenakshi Goyat in the 53kg semifinals of the Asian Games selection trials.
Vinesh thus fell short in her bid to re-enter the national team after the trauma of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I do not feel I have failed. I was fighting a whole system. We had to fight for every point. I was not given a fair deal. I do not grudge the athletes who fought with me. They also had dreamt of fighting against me. I will come back," Vinesh said before leaving the venue.
Back on the mat for the first time since her devastating disqualification from the Olympic final in 2024, Vinesh battled through controversy, crowd-fuelled drama and a gruelling quarterfinal against Nishu Kumari before her comeback charge finally ran out of steam against Asian Championship silver medallist Meenakshi Goyat, bringing an emotional day to an abrupt end.
The day had begun dramatically even before she stepped on the mat.
Vinesh was initially informed during the official weigh-in that she would only be allowed to compete in the 50kg category, the division in which she had contested her last four international events, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The wrestler objected strongly and accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of discrimination, prompting federation president Sanjay Singh to intervene and permit her entry into the 53kg trials.
After weighing 53.9kg, Vinesh entered the draw and opened her campaign with a comfortable 7-1 victory over Jyoti.
She then found herself staring at an early exit against the aggressive and technically proficient Nishu in a highly charged quarterfinal that swung between controversy and drama.
Nishu stunned Vinesh with a spectacular four-point throw and almost secured a pin in the opening period to surge to a 5-0 lead. The bout was interrupted several times by challenges and technical glitches with the scoring system, resulting in lengthy stoppages.
Showing glimpses of the skill that made her one of India's most successful wrestlers, Vinesh fought back in the second period with a four-point throw that changed the complexion of the contest.
At one stage, Vinesh appeared to have pinned Nishu, prompting her husband Sombir Rathi and supporters to celebrate wildly and demand the fall. Following a challenge, officials ruled that the referee had blown the whistle incorrectly and wrestling resumed, denying Vinesh the pin.
She eventually edged the bout 7-6 after being ahead 6-6 on criteria after Nishu's final desperate attack failed and an unsuccessful challenge from her corner handed Vinesh the decisive point.
The emotionally draining contest, however, appeared to take a toll on Vinesh, whose lack of competitive wrestling in recent months was evident.
Against Meenakshi in the semifinals, she struggled to find the same intensity and eventually lost 4-6, bringing an end to her campaign.
In the final, Antim Panghal beat Meenakshi 3-2, thus avenging her defeat against the same opponent in the Asian Championship trials recently.
Meenakshi argued with mat chairman after her defeat and was given a red card for her behaviour.
Earlier in the day, Vinesh had made her intentions clear when she told reporters: "I am here for at least two years."
The statement reflected her determination to continue wrestling despite the emotional scars of Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified from the women's 50kg final after being found overweight by a mere 100 grams on the morning of the gold-medal bout.
Saturday's trials were her first competitive appearance since that crushing setback and came amid a prolonged legal and administrative tussle with the WFI over her participation.
The Delhi High Court had recently directed the federation to treat Vinesh as an "iconic player" and allow her to compete in the Asian Games selection trials.
For a few hours on Saturday, the cheers from a packed hall suggested a fairytale return was possible. But by evening, Vinesh's comeback trail had hit another painful roadblock, leaving her to regroup and look ahead to the next chapter of her wrestling career.
