'It's a story for our children': Abhinav Bindra pens heartfelt note for 'champion' Vinesh Phogat

The legendary Indian Olympian Abhinav Bindra praised Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat after the latter's heroics at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. The former shooter joined the sporting fraternity to show their support for the Indian wrestler who suffered a heartbreaking disqualification in Paris on Wednesday.

The organisers shockingly disqualified Vinesh after she was found overweight hours before her women's 50kg final bout. Vinesh displayed her frustration by announcing her retirement from wrestling earlier on Thursday. 

Abhinav showed his support for Vinesh by posting a note on his X page and describing the wrestler's campaign as a story for the next generation. The gold medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics added that Vinesh's campaign will not count as a victory but every Indian will remember her story. 

"Dear Vinesh, it is said that sport is a celebration of human will," Abhinav Bindra wrote in his X post. "I have known that to be true many times in my career but never has it resonated more than today. As I look around me, I see a nation and its people celebrating your unyielding resolve. You are a fighter – on and off the mat. Through you, we are learning what it means to never lose the fight in us, even as a loss weighs heavily. You embody the true spirit of a warrior."

"Not all victories look alike. Some end up as a glittering souvenir in a cabinet but the ones that matter more find their way into the stories we tell our children. And every child in this country will know the champion you are. Every child will grow up wanting to face life with the resilience you have displayed. I thank you for that."

Vinesh's disqualification shattered India's hopes for their fourth medal and potential first gold in Paris 2024. In wrestling, Antim Panghal (53 kg) and Anshu Malik (57 kg) suffered a first-round elimination but Aman Sehrawat stormed into the semifinals in the men's 57kg category.