NEW DELHI: Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics not only upheld India’s wrestling tradition of securing a podium finish at every Olympics since 2008 but also etched his name in the annals of Indian Olympic history.
Just weeks after turning 21, Aman became India’s youngest-ever Olympic medalist by clinching bronze in the 57kg freestyle category. His impressive debut at the Games was not just a personal milestone but also a morale booster for a national wrestling team clouded by controversy.
In a dominant performance, Sehrawat secured a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in a high-stakes bronze medal match. Before this achievement, PV Sindhu held the record as India’s youngest Olympic medalist, having won silver at the 2016 Games at 21 years, one month, and 14 days old.
Sehrawat’s bronze contributed to India’s sixth medal of the Games, bringing the nation closer to matching its seven-medal haul from the Tokyo Olympics. Currently, India’s tally stands at one silver and five bronze medals.
“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 the young wrestler, who was raised by his grandfather after losing his parents as a child.
Reflecting on his journey, Sehrawat added, “The target was gold, but I had to be content with bronze this time. I had to forget the semifinal defeat. I told myself, let it go and focus on the next match. Sushil pehlawan ji won two medals, and I will win in 2028 and then in 2032 also.”
India’s wrestling success at the Olympics began with Sushil Kumar’s bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and has continued ever since. Sushil followed up with a silver in London 2012, where Yogeshwar Dutt also secured bronze. The tradition was carried forward by Sakshi Malik in Rio 2016 and Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia in Tokyo 2021.
