How Aman Sehrawat overcame fears to win Paris Olympics bronze
Aman Sehrawat, India's youngest Olympic medalist, has shared his journey to winning the bronze in men's 57kg freestyle wrestling at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 21-year-old athlete revealed to Hindustan Times that he grappled with immense pressure on the day of his competition. "All eyes back home are on me. There are people watching my bout in my village, the entire country is watching me," he said. Here are further details.
Sehrawat's rapid rise in Indian wrestling
Sehrawat's ascent in Indian wrestling has been nothing short of remarkable. In just two years, he transitioned from being India's first U23 world champion to its youngest Olympic medalist. This achievement mirrors that of his inspiration and Chhatrasal teammate, Ravi Dahiya, the 2021 Tokyo silver medalist. Sehrawat had to overcome Dahiya at home first, to secure his place in the Olympics.
Sehrawat's journey to the Olympics
As the Olympic day neared, Sehrawat admitted to feeling nervous. Despite facing numerous challenges in his life, including the loss of his parents at a young age, he found strength within himself. He credits his past struggles for making him resilient and driving him to train harder. "There was no money for training and diet. But those days made me strong," he said about his early years without financial support for training or nutrition.
Sehrawat's strategy and victory at the Paris Olympics
In Paris, Sehrawat first defeated Vladimir Egorovy of Macedonia on technical superiority. He then faced Zelimkhan Abakarov from Albania, who had previously beaten him 10-0 at the world championships. Despite an initial loss to Japan's Rei Higuchi in the semi-finals, Sehrawat bounced back with a new mindset for the bronze medal bout. He shed 3.5kg overnight and adopted a state-level competition mindset, which led him to defeat Puerto Rico's Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 and secure his bronze medal.
Sehrawat's triumphant return and future aspirations
Upon his return to India, Sehrawat was greeted by a crowd of supporters at the airport. The magnitude of his achievement only sunk in after witnessing the joy his medal brought to his village, academy, friends, and wrestling fans. He expressed gratitude toward his roommate Sagar and Ravi Dahiya for their pivotal roles in his career. "Ravi was so happy to see me," he said about Dahiya's reaction to his win.
Sehrawat becomes World No. 2 in men's 57kg
Recently, Sehrawat made a significant leap in the United World Wrestling rankings. He rose four places to secure the second spot globally in the men's 57kg category. Notably, he was defeated in the semi-final match by Japan's Rei Higuchi, who currently leads the world rankings with 59,000 points. Before his Olympic debut, the 22-year-old Sehrawat was ranked sixth globally. His rise to second place underscores his growing prominence in the sport.
