Was she dressing too much? Did she really need to shave her hair? Maybe she could have cut her toenails, taken out an earring, or extracted a wisdom tooth? For an instant, the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics made us seem like absurd mathematicians. However, as we go past the “weight required 50 kg; weighed 100 grams more,” we see that the problem really lies with ourselves. How many people can say that they were this near to a dream as Phogat was?
All that matters in the end is that a clean victory or shiny medals are merely a temporary high for the Indians back home who like to tell each other how great their nation is. A near-miss, however, is a different story. Ironic and poignant, about missed opportunities and the universal experience of coming close to achieving one’s goals. Which is, for the most part, what occurs to the finest among us.
She was the dream, at least till Vinesh Phogat was disqualified. What we desired to become. Number one. We determined that pre-ordering as many medals as the Olympic teams could bestow upon us would be the perfect August 15th gift for ourselves. From a 1947 “British bhagao” slogan to a typical school function day during our formative years, Independence Day has undergone several changes. From a Hollywood blockbuster film of the same name to our athletes competing in the Olympics in Paris. We believe that wanting more in international forums is patriotic.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Women’s Wrestling 50 kg class,” the Indian Olympic Association stated. She weighted a few grams over 50 kg this morning, despite the team’s best efforts during the night. She seemed to have cycled, skipped, and jogged herself lightheaded. To be a Phogat fan, every Indian was vying for the gold, silver, or bronze. We anticipated a sudden burst of energy, a flush to our faces.
This makes us overlook her startling prior victories in order to get to her current position. Because Phogat was separated from the winners by a thin line—just 100 grams—a small whisper, it is a truth that she represents this country more than the victors. Not a lack of effort, aptitude, or ability. Ultimately, it ought to be the lesson learned from this specific tale. Not finishing first or second and receiving meaningless applause; not trailing the field far enough to be insignificant. But having the will and bravery to enter the arena in the first place and compete in the real world.
The smile of self-importance is incidental; focus on the grimace of labor. The first female wrestler from India to make it to the Olympic finals will always be Phogat. The true beauty is in the trying. to have the capacity to go on forever. The distance that separates her from everyone else that she overcame to get here right now is the more significant one.
