India, May 30 -- "Main wapis aaungi (I will come back)," a fiery Vinesh Phogat told Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials to their face, pointing her finger at the mat and walking away carrying an aura few Indian sportspersons can match.

On a day of intense drama on and off the mat, when Vinesh reignited the fire within her, almost two years after her disqualification before the final at the Paris Olympics, the defining image was Vinesh sending this message to WFI in full public glare, stepping back onto the mat after losing a gripping semi-final against Asian Championships medallist Meenakshi Goyat in the Asian Games selection trials at the IG stadium here.

There was a strange satisfaction on her tired face, with almost a smirk...