The 32-year-old took to Instagram to reveal the decision of her retirement from international hockey calling it both 'bittersweet and empowering'. "Today, with a heavy yet grateful heart, I announce my retirement from international hockey -- a decision that feels both bittersweet and empowering. I'm not stepping away because the fire in me has dimmed or the hockey in my tank has run dry, but because I want to bow out at my zenith, while I'm still at my very best.
"This isn't a goodbye born out of exhaustion; it's a choice to leave the international stage on my terms, with my head held high and my stick still blazing. The roar of the crowd, the thrill of every goal, and the pride of wearing India's colors will forever echo in my soul," she wrote.
For the unversed, Vandana Katariya made her debut at the highest level in 2009 and played a crucial role in helping the team win multiple times. She is also the first and the only Indian woman to score a hat-trick at the Tokyo Olympics. Meanwhile, Vandana has revealed that this isn't the end of her hockey career overall as she will be playing in the Hockey India League.
"I'm not hanging up my stick. I'll keep playing, keep scoring, and keep inspiring in the Hockey India League and beyond. The turf will still feel my footsteps, and my passion for this game will never fade. Today, I retire from international hockey, but I carry forward every memory, every lesson, and every ounce of love you've given me. Thank you for being my family, my fuel, and my forever teammates in spirit," she further wrote.
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