Aman Sehrawat has made history by becoming the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal in an individual sport. The 21-year-old Asian medallist, now an an Olympic medallist as well, clinched the bronze in the men’s 57 kg freestyle wrestling after defeating Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico with a score of 13-5 at Paris Olympics.
Life dedicated to wrestling
People often say that a player has “lived wrestling,” but in Aman Sehrawat’s case, this is literally true. When Aman Sehrawat was just 11-years-old, his mother passed away. His father, who dreamed of Aman becoming a wrestler, decided to send him to a wrestling academy, hoping to ease the pain of his mother’s loss. At that young age, Aman was sent to Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, where he spent half of his life near the mats and grappling. Just six months later, his father also passed away. Aman once said, “I will definitely fulfil my father’s dream.”
Tribute to parents
After winning the coveted bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Aman said, “My parents always wanted me to be a wrestler. They didn’t know anything about the Olympics, but they wanted me to be a wrestler. I dedicate this medal to my parents and to the nation.”
Following the loss of their parents, Aman and his sister moved to their aunt’s house, where she raised them as her own children. Aman continued to live at Chhatrasal Stadium, where his coach Lalit’s room was nearby. After winning the bronze medal at the Asian Games, Aman was given a separate room with a kitchen. On one wall in his room, he has written, “If winning an Olympic medal was easy, everyone would do it.”
A journey of hard work and success
Aman’s success on the Olympic stage didn’t come overnight. In 2022, after winning gold at the Under-23 Asian Championships, he became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Under-23 World Championships. He went on to win back-to-back medals at various Grand Prix events, including 2 golds, 2 silvers, and one bronze. His breakthrough came at the 2023 Asian Games, where he clinched a bronze medal.
Inspiration from wrestling legends
Aman has always admired Sushil Kumar, who won two Olympic medals for India: a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and a silver at the 2012 London Games. He is also fond of Ravi Kumar Dahiya, the wrestler who won silver at the Paris Olympics. Aman secured his place at the Paris Olympics by defeating Ravi in the wrestling trials, earning his ticket to the grand event.
