Image Source: hindustantimes.com
Aman Sehrawat delivered an outstanding performance on Friday, earning India’s first wrestling medal at the Paris Olympics. In the men’s freestyle 57kg category, Sehrawat triumphed over Puerto Rico’s Darian Toi Cruz with a score of 13-5, marking India’s sixth medal at the Games.
Toi Cruz initially took the lead in a tightly contested bronze medal match by scoring the first point after pushing Sehrawat out of bounds. Sehrawat quickly turned the tables, scoring two points with a decisive leg-lock and flip. Both wrestlers continued to exchange points rapidly, with Sehrawat holding a narrow 4-3 lead at the thirty-second break.
The second half saw Sehrawat make an impressive start, securing a three-point lead by immediately locking Toi Cruz. With nearly two minutes remaining, Toi Cruz required medical attention due to discomfort, which seemed to impact his performance. Despite his efforts to defend, Sehrawat capitalized on the situation, scoring two additional technical points to extend his lead to 10-5. The Indian wrestler continued to dominate, eventually securing a 13-5 victory.
Aman Sehrawat, India’s sole male wrestler in Paris, has now joined the ranks of Indian wrestlers who have won Olympic medals. He follows in the footsteps of KD Jadhav (bronze, 1952 Helsinki), Sushil Kumar (bronze, Beijing 2008 and silver, London 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze, London 2012), Ravi Dahiya (silver, Tokyo 2020), and Bajrang Punia (bronze, Tokyo 2020).
India’s final remaining contender at the Games, Reetika Hooda, will compete in the women’s freestyle 76kg event on Saturday, hoping to add to the medal tally.
In another development, Vinesh Phogat’s hopes for an additional medal remain alive. Phogat, who was disqualified from the women’s 50kg event for being overweight, has appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS has agreed to hear both Phogat’s and United World Wrestling’s (UWW) arguments and is expected to make a final decision before the end of the Olympics.
