Vinesh Phogat: Setbacks made me stronger

Vinesh Phogat

Vinesh Phogat often used to ponder why the destiny was hell bent on devastating her. Not any more. She has learnt to put her faith in the ‘Universe plans'.

Now she is grateful that she could confront those challenges that eventually made her mentally stronger and more mature. She was one of India's brightest hopes during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games but returned on a stretcher, suffering a knee injury against China's Sun Yanan in her quarter-final bout.

Well-prepared, she was raring to go at the 2020 Olympics but the Tokyo edition got postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. If that wasn't enough, she herself contracted the dreaded virus but recovered, regrouped and yet again announced a strong arrival by winning titles at Matteo Pellicone (Rome) and Asian Championship (Almaty) this season.

But given the prevailing pandemic situation, question marks are still hanging if Tokyo will be able to host the Games.

Does she think, why it happens only with her that whenever she is ready, aiming for Olympic glory, some or other thing stops her?

"Yes, I used to think on those lines. But perhaps Universe wants you to be stronger. It all happened with me because the nature wanted me to be stronger. The up and downs has made me stronger, mature. If I am considered mentally tough today, it's because I have faced all these tough times," said a philosophical Vinesh.

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