Aman Sehrawat carried forward the legacy of the Chhatrasal stadium on Friday, producing a commanding performance to secure India's first wrestling medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. The 21-year-old wrestler from the famed Chhatrasal Stadium, who lost both parents at the young age of 11, defeated Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 in the bronze play-off at Champ de Mars Arena. With his win over the Puerto Rican wrestler, Sehrawat became the youngest-ever individual Olympic medallist from India at 21 years 0 months and 24 days.
The young wrestler bettered PV Sindhu’s record, who was 21 years 1 month and 14 days old when she won silver at the Rio Olympics 2016. Aman dedicated his bronze medal to his parents and the nation, a tribute to the dreams they had for him. "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," he said, his voice filled with emotion.
Orphaned at just 11 years old, the young boy was left with a void that only the wrestling mat could fill. His father, before his untimely death, had enroled Aman at the Chhatrasal Stadium in 2013, unknowingly setting his son on a path that would lead to Olympic glory. The stadium, which had already produced four Olympic medalists in Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia, and Ravi Dahiya, became Aman's second home, a place where he found not just shelter but purpose and a sense of belonging.
Training alongside these champions left a lasting impact on him, particularly Sushil Kumar's work ethic. However, it was Ravi Dahiya, with whom Aman felt the strongest connection. Like Aman, Ravi had come to Chhatrasal as a young boy and rose through the ranks before claiming a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
The year 2022 marked a turning point in Aman's career. As a teenager, he made a successful transition to the senior circuit, winning a bronze at the Asian U20 Championship and gold at the Asian U23 Championships. His crowning achievement came later that year when he won gold at the World U23 Championships—a feat that even his illustrious seniors, Bajrang and Ravi, had not accomplished.
From mastering the basics in the same sandpits and foam mats as his illustrious predecessors, he quickly rose to dominate age-group competitions. His early achievements, including medals at the World Cadet level and the Asian Cadets, were a prelude to his spectacular transition to the senior circuit. The year 2022 was particularly significant, as Aman won gold at the World U23 Championships, an achievement that even his seniors Bajrang and Ravi had not managed.
Arriving in Paris as India’s sole male wrestler, the pressure on Aman was immense. Yet, he delivered a commanding performance, defeating Puerto Rican Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 in the bronze play-off at the Champ de Mars Arena. Despite a bleeding nose, Aman’s relentless attack and strategic prowess ensured his place on the Olympic podium. His victory maintained India's streak of winning wrestling medals at every Olympics since 2008, a tradition started by Sushil Kumar.
Aman’s bronze also marked India’s sixth medal at the Paris Games, bringing the country closer to matching its record haul of seven medals at the Tokyo Olympics. As Aman Sehrawat steps into the spotlight as India’s youngest Olympic medalist, he carries with him the hopes of a nation and the dreams of countless young wrestlers who see in him a beacon of what is possible through hard work, dedication, and the unyielding belief that one’s circumstances do not define one’s destiny.
Source: India Today