Finally the much awaited wrestling medal at Paris Olympics, post unfortunate disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogath ripped through India’s medal dream, came on Friday (August 9). The 21-year-old Aman Sehrawat became India’s seventh wrestler to win an Olympic medal toppling Darian Toi Cruz of Puerto Rico 13-5 in the men’s 57kg bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Earlier, Aman secured a dominant 10-0 victory over Vladimir Egorov of North Macedonia in the Round of 16 and followed it up with a 12-0 technical superiority win against Albania’s Zelimkhan Abakanov in the quarterfinals. At the Tokyo Olympics, Ravi Kumar Dahiya had won a silver in the same weight category. Aman defeated Ravi during the national selection trials for the Olympic qualifiers, earning himself a spot for Paris 2024.
Who is Aman Sehrawat?
Aman Sehrawat is a young Indian wrestler who has made a significant impact on Indian wrestling scene as well as at the Paris Olympics. Born on July 16, 2003, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Aman’s dedication to the sport spelt gradual success. He won his first National Championship title in 2021, paving way for upward trajectory. In 2022, he secured a bronze medal in 57kg category at the Asian Games and went on to win a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. His success continued into 2024, where he clinched the gold medal at the Zagreb Open wrestling tournament, defeating China’s Zou Wanhao with a flawless 10-0 score.
Brush with the Past
India’s previous medals in wrestling came through KD Jadhav (bronze in 1952), Sushil Kumar (bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze in 2012), Sakshi Malik (bronze in 2016), Bajrang Punia (bronze in 2020) and Ravi Dahiya (2020).
With Sherawat’s bronze, India has now won a medal in wrestling at every Olympic Games since 2008.
