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India's veteran sports shooter Abhinav Bindra, the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics, expressed his sorrow over Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from the 50 kg women's wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Phogat was set to compete against the United States's Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the Gold Medal match today. However, she was disqualified for exceeding the 50 kg weight limit, despite having secured her place in the final after defeating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday night.
Bindra shared his reaction on his official X account, stating, "Completely gutted. Sometimes you don't need a gold medal to be a true champion to people." He praised Phogat, describing her as a true champion of the people, despite the disqualification setback.
Bindra Honoured With Olympic Order
In another noteworthy development, Abhinav Bindra was honoured with the Olympic Order for his exceptional contributions to the Olympic movement. This prestigious award, the highest given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for meritorious services, was conferred upon Bindra during the IOC Executive Board meeting in Paris on July 20.
Bindra, who is a member of the IOC Athletes Commission, is the first Indian to receive the Olympic Order, and his achievement was widely celebrated by prominent figures and governmental bodies.
IOC President Thomas Bach, in a letter dated July 22, informed Bindra of the honor, stating, "It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the IOC Executive Board has today decided to award you with the Olympic Order for your outstanding services to the Olympic movement."
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Abhinav Bindra's Achievements
Abhinav Bindra's legacy extends beyond this recent accolade. He remains one of only two Indians to win an individual Olympic gold medal. His gold medal triumph came in the men's 10-meter air rifle event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where he also held the world title concurrently, having won the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships. Bindra's illustrious career includes seven medals at the Commonwealth Games and three medals at the Asian Games.
