India’s wrestling medal streak at the Olympics, which began in Beijing in 2008, continued in Paris with Aman Sehrawat securing a bronze medal in the 57kg category. At 21 years old, Aman became the youngest Indian to win an individual Olympic medal, joining the ranks of India’s sixth wrestler and fifth from the Chhatrasal stable (after Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia) to achieve this remarkable feat.
Aman’s journey to the podium was marked by hard work, skill, and a bit of luck. He showcased his potential throughout the tournament, having already defeated Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Ravi in the selection trials. He defeated North Macedonia’s 2022 European champion Vladimir Egorov and upset Albanian wrestler and 2022 World champion Zelimkhan Abakarov, who reportedly struggled with weight-cutting issues, by technical superiority. While he was overpowered by eventual champion Rei Higuchi of Japan in the semifinals, he secured his bronze medal after a strong performance in the repechage round. He defeated Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in the bronze medal match, making history at the Champ de Mars arena.
“Since I have won a bronze medal, I will try to win a gold next time,” said Aman, who idolises Sushil Kumar. Aman managed to speak with Sushil and received valuable tips ahead of his bronze medal match. “After seeing Sushil Pehelwan for the first time some years ago, I thought, ‘If he can win two Olympic medals, why can’t I win one?’ I spoke to him. He said I fought well in the quarterfinals but gave away too much space in the semifinals. He advised me to forget the past and give my best in the bronze medal match,” Aman shared.
However, the Indian wrestling team faced its share of setbacks in Paris. Antim Panghal’s much-awaited Olympic debut ended with a first-round defeat in the women’s 53kg wrestling event. Vinesh Phogat, a leading voice in the wrestlers’ protest last year, dropped down to the 50kg weight category due to uncertainty about her ability to challenge quota place winner Antim Panghal for the 53kg slot. The two-time World bronze medallist stunned World and Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the opening round, advancing to the final. But in a shocking turn of events, Vinesh was disqualified the next morning after exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams before her gold medal match. Heartbroken, she announced her retirement shortly after, leaving her future in the sport uncertain with her case pending before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Other Indian wrestlers also faced challenges. Nisha Dahiya suffered an injury during her 68kg quarterfinal bout, leading to her elimination. World bronze medallist Antim (53kg) struggled with weight management and suffered a surprising loss to Turkey’s double European bronze medallist Zeynep Yetgil. Anshu Malik (57kg), a 2021 World Championships silver medallist, had sustained a shoulder injury before the Games and was eliminated by former Olympic champion Helen Maroulis of the USA. Reetika Hooda, the World U-23 champion in the 76kg category, defeated two-time European bronze medallist Bernadett Nagy before falling to Kyrgyzstan’s top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy, a World silver medallist.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) must acknowledge the wrestlers’ performance in the Paris Olympics and initiate efforts to elevate the sport’s standards. It is crucial to restore trust between the federation and the wrestlers while devising solid plans to get Indian wrestling back on track with the 2028 Olympics in mind.
