His victory brought much-needed relief to the Indian contingent, which faced immense disappointment following Vinesh Phogat‘s disqualification in the women’s 50 kg category.
The bronze medal marked India’s sixth overall at the Games and prevented a first-ever empty-handed return for Indian wrestling since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
After dropping the first point of the bronze medal match against Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico, Aman rallied back to secure a commanding 13-5 victory. His performance throughout the tournament showcased his technical and tactical acumen.
Sehrawat’s bronze sparked an outpour of congratulatory messages across social media from fans and people from various fields.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “More pride thanks to our wrestlers! Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat.”
One of the India sensations at Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker congratulated Aman for his remarkable feat, writing on X, “Congratulations Aman Sehrawat on clinching Bronze at the Paris Olympics. Your hard work and dedication paid off… This is just the beginning of a very bright future for you.”
India’s first individual gold medallist Abhinav Bindra also applauded Aman’s medal-winning performance.
Sehrawat’s journey began with two consecutive technical superiority wins. However, he faced a setback in the semi-final, losing to Japan’s Rei Higuchi. Undeterred, he regrouped and displayed remarkable composure in the bronze medal match, securing India’s only wrestling medal at the Games.
The victory etched Sehrawat’s name in Indian wrestling history, joining the ranks of Olympic medalists KD Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia.
His bronze medal also extended India’s wrestling medal tally at the Olympics to eight, solidifying the sport’s position as the second most successful for the nation in Olympic history, trailing only hockey.
Sehrawat’s triumph provided a silver lining to an otherwise challenging Olympic campaign for Indian wrestling.
The women’s team, despite moments of promise, faced early exits. Nisha Dahiya reached the quarterfinals in the 68 kg category, while Anshu Malik and Antim Panghal bowed out in their opening bouts.
Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification after reaching the final dealt a significant blow to the team’s morale.
