Aman Sehrawat, at just 21 years old, has etched his name in history by becoming the youngest Indian ever to win an Olympic medal. His Bronze in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling event at the 2024 Paris Olympics marks a proud moment for India. This is the sixth medal for India at these Games, 5 of them Bronze. 

Born and raised in Haryana, the ‘wrestling capital of India,’ Aman trained at the prestigious Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi. He follows in the footsteps of Indian wrestling legends such as Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, and Bajrang Punia. Aman’s list of achievements is already impressive - he is an Asian Champion, a two-time Grand Prix winner (Almaty 2022 and Zagreb 2024), and was the first Indian to win a Gold medal at the U23 World Championships in Pontevedra in 2022.

This achievement underscores Aman’s rise as a formidable force in wrestling, following a series of impressive performances at both regional and international levels.

Aman’s victory in Paris was a display of skill and determination. He secured the Bronze by defeating Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz 13-5 in a thrilling bout. After taking a narrow 6-4 lead in the first period, Aman dominated the second, controlling the match to seal a decisive win. His journey to the medal was equally remarkable. He outclassed Vladimir Egorov with a 10-0 win in the pre-quarterfinals and then stunned former World Champion Zelimkhan Abakarov with a commanding 12-0 victory. Although he faced a setback in the semifinals, losing to Japan’s Rei Higuchi, Aman bounced back with grit and determination to clinch the Bronze.

This Bronze medal is India’s second consecutive Olympic medal in wrestling, following Ravi Kumar Dahiya’s Silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and it is India’s eighth overall Olympic medal in wrestling. Interestingly, Aman had earned his spot at the Paris Olympics by defeating Dahiya in the national trials, a testament to his rapid rise in the sport.

Aman’s Bronze has also made Paris 2024 India’s second-most successful Olympic Games in terms of medal count. With 6 medals so far, this edition ties with London 2012 and is just behind Tokyo 2020, where India achieved a record 7 medals.