The 21-year-old U-23 world champion was the only male wrestler from India to earn a spot at the Paris Games.He rose to the occasion, delivering a stellar performance at the Champ de Mars Arena, PTI reported.
Sehrawat’s achievement not only brought pride to his nation but also maintained wrestling’s impressive streak of winning medals at every Olympics since 2008. His success serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of Indian wrestlers on the global stage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his congratulations following Aman’s achievement of securing India’s sixth medal at the Olympic Games. PM expressed his delight and pride in the athlete’s accomplishment.
“More pride thanks to our wrestlers! Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat,” Modi posted on X.
Sushil Kumar shattered barriers by securing the bronze medal in Beijing (2008), paving the way for future Indian wrestlers. He claimed silver in 2012, following in his footsteps, Yogeshwar Dutt (2012), Sakshi Malik (2016), Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia (2021) have successfully maintained this proud tradition.
Aman’s outstanding performance not only earned him a well-deserved medal but also contributed to India’s overall medal count, bringing the nation one step closer to matching its impressive haul from the Tokyo Games, where Indian athletes secured a total of seven medals.
Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Nisha Dahiya (68kg) were unable to reach the medal rounds in their respective categories. Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat (50kg) lost her chance at gold after being disqualified from the final for being overweight.
Her disqualification sparked widespread outrage in the country, leading to a challenge in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The hearing has concluded, and a decision is expected by Sunday evening.
Teenager Antim Panghal found herself in trouble after using her accreditation card to send her sister to the Games Village. As a result, she was deported along with her entourage.
The bout was fast-paced, with quick moves from both wrestlers. Once Aman gauged his Puerto Rican opponent, he dominated the match, allowing few opportunities.
He built a solid 6-3 lead by the end of the first period with consecutive takedown moves. As is often his strategy, Aman, known for his high endurance, first focused on wearing down his opponent before making his decisive move.
The Indian wrestler stormed into the semifinals with dominating technical-superiority wins over Vladimir Egorov and Zelimkhan Abakarov, not conceding a single point. However, he was outmatched by Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the semifinals.
Having lost his parents at a tender age of 12, the famed Chhatrasal stadium — where his father had enrolled him in 2013 — became his second home.
This training center has produced four of India’s Olympic medalists: Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, and Ravi Dahiya.