Aman Sehrawat Becomes India’s Youngest Olympic Medalist with Bronze in Paris
PTK MONITORING DESK
PARIS :Aman Sehrawat, a young grappler from India, made history on Friday by becoming the country’s youngest-ever Olympic medalist. The 21-year-old secured a bronze medal in the 57kg freestyle wrestling category at the Paris 2024 Olympics, less than a month after his 21st birthday. His remarkable achievement came as a much-needed boost for the Indian wrestling contingent, which has been marred by controversy during these Games.
Sehrawat’s victory was hard-fought, with the Indian wrestler delivering a commanding 13-5 win against Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in an intense third-place match. His achievement has not only earned him a place in India’s sporting history but has also lifted the nation’s medal tally to six, drawing closer to the seven medals secured in the Tokyo Games.
Before Sehrawat, the record for India’s youngest Olympic medalist was held by P.V. Sindhu, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 21 years, one month, and 14 days. Sehrawat, however, has surpassed her by clinching his medal just weeks after turning 21.
“It’s been a long time since I won a medal for my country. I had to do something about it. I would like to say to the people of India that I will definitely win a gold for you in 2028,” said Sehrawat, who was raised by his grandfather after losing his parents at a young age. He added that while his target was gold, he is determined to achieve it in the next Olympics.
Sehrawat’s achievement continues India’s strong tradition in wrestling at the Olympics, with the sport consistently contributing to the country’s medal tally since 2008. This legacy began with Sushil Kumar’s bronze in Beijing 2008, followed by medals from Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia in subsequent Games. Sehrawat’s bronze ensures that this streak remains unbroken.
His coaches, Jagmender Singh and Virender Dahiya, revealed the dedication behind his success, sharing that they monitored his weight closely in the lead-up to the bout, spending a sleepless night to ensure he was in peak condition.
While Sehrawat’s performance was a high point, the women’s wrestling team had a more challenging outing. Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Nisha Dahiya (68kg) were unable to reach the medal rounds, and Vinesh Phogat (50kg) faced disqualification from her final match due to being 100 grams overweight, a decision she has since contested in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In a separate controversy, teenager Panghal was deported from the Games after allowing her sister to use her accreditation card to enter the Olympic Village, a violation of protocol.
Sehrawat’s journey to this historic win has been one of resilience and determination. After losing his parents at the age of 12, he found a home in Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, a renowned wrestling hub that has produced several Olympic medalists for India. Now, Sehrawat stands among these giants as the youngest to join their ranks.
India’s hopes for further success in wrestling now rest on Reetika Hooda (76kg), who is set to compete on Saturday. A win from Hooda would bring India’s medal tally in Paris on par with that of Tokyo 2020.
