Paris Games: Aman is India’s youngest Olympic medallist

New Delhi, Aug 10: In a bold and commanding display, Aman Sehrawat dispelled the gloom hanging over India’s wrestling contingent following Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification. The 21-year-old clinched a bronze medal in the men’s 57kg freestyle category, securing a resounding 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz on Friday.

Sehrawat’s triumph not only brought renewed hope but also made history as he became India’s youngest-ever individual Olympic medallist. At 21 years and 24 days, he surpassed PV Sindhu's previous record set during the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Indian wrestling team faced a difficult campaign at the Paris Olympics, and it seemed they might return empty-handed for the first time since 2008. However, Sehrawat’s bronze brought much-needed relief and pride, adding to India's medal tally, which now stands at six – one silver and five bronzes.

The match began with Sehrawat conceding the first point after stepping out of the mat, but he quickly regained his composure. By the end of the first round, he had turned a 2-3 deficit into a 6-3 lead. In the second round, his confidence soared, and he never looked back, eventually securing a commanding 13-5 victory.

Sehrawat now joins the ranks of legendary Indian wrestlers who have won Olympic medals, including K.D. Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia. Notably, his achievement marks the sixth Olympic medal for wrestlers from Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi, a renowned hub for wrestling in India.

As the only male wrestler representing India at this year’s Olympics, Sehrawat's bronze is India's eighth Olympic wrestling medal, reinforcing the sport as the second most successful for the country, following hockey.

Sehrawat’s journey to the podium was impressive. He began with two consecutive wins by technical superiority in the earlier rounds. However, he faced a setback in the semi-final, where he was defeated 0-10 by Japan’s top-seeded Rei Higuchi. Despite this, Sehrawat's resilience saw him power through the competition, including a dominant 10-0 victory over North Macedonia’s Vladimir Egorov in the round of 16 and a 12-0 win against Albania’s Zelimkhan Abakarov, the 2022 world champion, in the quarterfinals.

Looking ahead, Reetika Hooda remains India's last hope for another wrestling medal as she prepares to compete in the women’s 76kg division. Earlier in the week, Nisha Dahiya was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the women’s 68kg category, and Anshu Malik lost her round of 16 bout against the USA’s Helen Maroulis. Vinesh Phogat, who had reached the final in the women’s 50kg category, faced disqualification after failing her weigh-in.