Aman Sehrawat delivered an outstanding performance on Friday, earning India’s first wrestling medal at the Paris Olympics by defeating Puerto Rico’s Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 in the men’s freestyle 57kg category. This victory marked India’s sixth medal at the ongoing Games.
The 21-year-old wrestler showcased an impressive run from the start, securing wins by superiority in both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals. However, he was outmatched in the semi-final by top-seed Rei Higuchi of Japan, leading to a straightforward defeat.
In the closely contested bronze medal match, Toi Cruz initially took the lead by forcing Sehrawat out of bounds. However, Sehrawat quickly responded, earning two points by locking his opponent’s leg and flipping him. Both wrestlers exchanged two more points, with Sehrawat holding a narrow 4-3 lead at the thirty-second break.
Sehrawat dominated the second half, extending his lead to 7-3 by immediately locking Toi Cruz and gaining additional points. A mid-bout injury to Toi Cruz, which required medical attention, appeared to hinder his performance as Sehrawat took control of the match, securing two more points and ultimately winning 13-5.
Sehrawat’s achievement makes him the sixth male wrestler from India to win an Olympic medal, joining the ranks of KD Jadhav (bronze in 1952 Helsinki), Sushil Kumar (bronze in Beijing 2008 and silver in London 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze in London 2012), Ravi Dahiya (silver in Tokyo 2020), and Bajrang Punia (bronze in Tokyo 2020).
Looking ahead, India’s final contender at the Games, Reetika Hooda, will compete in the women’s freestyle 76kg event on Saturday, aiming to add to the medal tally.
Additionally, India’s hopes for another wrestling medal remain alive as Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified before her gold medal bout in the women’s 50kg event due to being overweight, has appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On Friday, CAS accepted her appeal and will hear both Phogat and United World Wrestling (UWW) before making a final decision before the Olympics conclude.
