Vinesh Phogat retires following India's disqualification
Paris 2024 Olympics - Wrestling - Women's Freestyle 50kg Semifinal - Champ-de-Mars Arena, Paris, France - August 06, 2024. Vinesh Phogat of India reacts after winning the match against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba. PHOTO:REUTERS
Vinesh Phogat said she has retired from wrestling following the Indian's disqualification before the women's 50kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after failing to make weight.
Phogat was set to lock horns with American Sarah Hildebrandt for the gold medal but the 29-year-old fell 100 grams short despite starving herself for a week and spending hours in the sauna to cut down to her competition weight.
"Wrestling won and I lost. My dreams are shattered. I don't have any more strength," Phogat wrote on X.
"Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all. I am sorry."
Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman Lopez replaced Phogat in the final where Hildebrandt won 3-0 to take the gold.