Paris Olympics 2024: Teary-eyed Vinesh returns to hero's welcome after Olympic heartbreak; Watch

Celebrated wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Saturday received a grand welcome on her return to the country with hundreds of supporters gathering outside the IGI airport showing immense solidarity with herStars such as Bajrang Punia Sakshi Malik and panchayat leaders received Vinesh who endured a heartbreaking exit at the Paris Olympics 2024 where she was disqualified for being overweight on the day of her 50kg finalWATCH Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat receives a grand welcome at Delhis IGI Airport She arrived here from Paris after participating in the Olympics2024Paris pictwittercom9GqbZkks7Dmdash ANI ANI August 17 2024WATCH Delhi Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat en route to her native village in Charkhi Dadri HaryanaCongress MP Deepender Hooda wrestlers Bajrang Punia Sakshee Malikkh are also present pictwittercomPysqyeq788mdash ANI ANI August 17 2024WATCH Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat says I am grateful for this love and respect I have received from my countrymen pictwittercomPCdVJHaq8Kmdash ANI ANI August 17 2024WATCH Delhi Premlata mother of wrestler Vinesh Phogat says Everyone from our village and nearby areas have come here to welcome her We will felicitate hershe is a champion for me The country has given her more honour than a gold medal pictwittercomgVYkAi9QY5mdash ANI ANI August 17 2024Heavily garlanded Vinesh stood in an open Jeep and thanked all the supportersI thank the entire country she said her hands folded in humilityThere was a thick security cover as Phogat who was found 100 grams overweight landed in the national capitalVineshs caravan left for her native village Balali in Haryana and on the way she met her supporters positioned at different spotsA group of 50 followed her jeep They offered prayers at a temple in Delhis Dwarka before continuing their journey towards BalaliAlso ReadWe did not surrender donrsquot know what future holds for me VineshVinesh had stayed back in Paris after challenging her disqualification in the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS and demanding a joint silver The application was dismissed on WednesdayShe has come back to her country after such a long time She is very emotional also She will spend time with family and calm herself What Vinesh has done for women is praiseworthy She might not have received a medal but she is a champion for us said Sakshi MalikLondon Olympics bronze medalwinning shooter Gagan Narang who was the chief de mission of the Indian contingent in Paris called her a champion posting a photo with Phogat at the Paris airport Both of them were on the same flight to DelhiShe came as a champion on day 1 into the games village and she will always remain our champion Sometimes one doesnrsquot need an Olympic medal to inspire a billion dreams vineshphogat you have inspired generations Salute to your grit Narang posted on XPeople are waiting to welcome her at our village People are exciting to meet Vinesh and encourage her her brother Harvinder Phogat saidThe feisty wrestler in her first reaction after her disqualification on Saturday said that under different circumstances she could see herself competing till 2032 because she still has a lot of wrestling left in her but is now unsure about her future as things might never be same againVinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her disqualificationIn an emotional post on social media Vinesh shared her childhood dream the hardships she faced after losing her father and also put on record the contribution made by people in her extraordinary journey that ended in heartbreak in the Paris Olympics 2024With agency inputs