Asian Games 2018: Rio Olympics injury made golden girl Vinesh Phogat stronger

Vinesh PVinesh Phogat cried as she was being stretched out of the mat two years ago. A horrific knee injury had put an end to her Rio Olympic campaign in 2016. She cried on Monday too, once again while being carried out of the mat at the 18^th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

But these were tears of joy, of hard work, which brought a historic gold, making Vinesh the first Indian women wrestler to win the yellow metal at the Asiad.

“I had targeted gold. I had 3-4 silvers at the Asia level. So I was determined to win a gold today. My body responded well. I had trained well and God was also kind to me. Everything fell in place for me today, said Vinesh to the Press Trust of India after defeating Yuki Irie 6-2 in the 50kg wrestling category final.

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“Injuries are part of an athlete’s career. It is difficult both emotionally and physically. But I shrugged off everything to deliver some good medals recently. Someone has said an athlete becomes strong after injury and I feel I indeed have become stronger than before,” she added.

It seemed destiny that the 23-year-old after that horrible injury once again faced Yanan Sun of China in her opening bout. It was in the match against the same opposition where Vinesh had broken her knee in the quarter-final bout in 2016.

“There was pressure but it was to prove that I am actually stronger than her. I wanted to prove this today because I lost thrice to her before. And I have done this before,” she said talking of her past experience against Sun.

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She was considered to be a strong gold contender form India in wrestling at the Rio Olympics, but the injury in the quarter-finals put an end to her aspirations and speaking on how she bounced back despite a year-long rehabilitation, Vinesh asserted that she was mentally strong.

“I work on this [mental strength] but I am like this from childhood. I have always been rough and tough. I take risks in life and they pay off. I have self-belief. I feel there is nothing that I can’t do.”