Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat created history after becoming the first Indian woman to win two medals at the world level after she defeated Sweden’s Emma Jonna Malmgren to wrap up her 2022 World Championships outing in Belgrade with a bronze medal. During the competition, she faced a lot of criticism after losing to Mongolia’s Khulan Batkhuyag in her opening bout.
But Phogat lashed out at her critics after she won the bronze in the 53kg category of the competition. Sharing a heartfelt post after the championships, Phogat said that athletes try their hearts out but are not robots by any means. "Athletes are humans and while being an athlete is a huge part of who we are, it doesn't mean we work like robots every time a tournament is announced. Not sure if this culture is in every country or this is just India where we have so many experts sitting at home," wrote.
"Every individual, professional or not, has chased hardships, struggles and challenges through their journey. The difference is the world does not comment and criticise them thinking they are experts on those professionals and their careers. But we have many who consider themselves experts in sports who think they know the efforts, the hardships and what goes into training an athlete.
“Why are we as athletes answerable to them about every detail when all athletes get back comments on how they should train, and what they should do instead of support and encouragement when times are tough? Is it very discouraging when people assume they can comment on when athletes should stop or end their careers and when they should play and not play?
“A win always does not mean that an athlete has done anything extra extraordinary and a loss does not mean that the athlete has not tried during that game. Winning and losing is a part of every athlete's journey and the athletes try hard each time,” she added.
After losing to Batkhuyag, also the silver medallist of the 2022 Asian championships, Phogat made it through to the repechage round.
Earlier, Vinesh Phogat also won the gold medal in the 53kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham at the beginning of August.
