Aman Sehrawat, the youthful Indian grappler, has done something historic by wrestling his way to a 57kg bronze medal in freestyle at the Paris Olympics. He showcased brilliant skills and determination during this debut appearance at the games to beat Darian Cruz from Puerto Rico 13-5.
Even though Aman had been looking forward to winning gold instead of bronze, it remains quite astonishing what he achieved. The case goes down in history as India’s first medal from this Olympic edition.
Afterwards, Aman hopes that his success will inspire other wrestlers in India. He told them to consider his victory as a point of reference, urging them to dedicate themselves to wrestling emphasizing on hard work and dedication in achieving their goals.
Speaking after the event, Aman said: “I am extremely happy and want to dedicate my win to my country. I wanted gold but lost it somehow in semi-finals but winning an Olympic medal on debut is special.”
“The journey started by Sushil bhai (Sushil Kumar) at Olympics has gone ahead for India; it is continuing now too. This Medal will be a source of motivation back in Country for young generation who wants to become Olympians. I would like say that wrestling culture is growing rapidly here in India one day we will bring many more medals in Olympics as well,” he added.
Aman found himself early grappling against Puerto Rican counterpart Cruz after he used single leg hold successfully to earn an advantage over him during bout for bronze medal.
However, despite that setback Aman quickly pulled himself together and launched a counter offensive targeting crucial points using Cruz’s shoulders. Though Cruz momentarily regained the lead through an accurate two point move, it was evident that Aman was determined and skillful enough since he took control of the match again.
The last 37 seconds showed how technically good Aman has grown into as a wrestler. In spite of scoring points on regular basis even as Cruz tried to make a desperate move, Aman emerged on top when he finally got his chance winning the match and therefore securing the bronze medal.
Aman took some time after winning the competition to reflect on how far he has come and appreciate everyone who supported him before realizing what he had actually accomplished.
Yet even amidst his jubilations, Aman’s mind could not help but pan out over the horizon in anticipation of the challenges and possibilities that lay ahead.
“My next target will be to prepare for 2028 Olympics and 2026 Asian games,” he said.
