Paris Olympics 2024: India's Aman Sehrawat ousted in men's wrestling, to battle for bronze medal
Aman Sehrawat
India’s Aman Sehrawat will fight for a bronze medal after he was ousted in the semifinal of the men’s 57kg category wrestling on Thursday (Aug 8). Sehrawat who could have guaranteed at least a silver medal for India in the Olympics lost to Japan’s Rei Higuchi on technical superiority. Sehrawat lost 10-0 as the bout lasted little over three minutes before the Japanese were declared winner and advanced to the gold medal match.
Sehrawat to contest for bronze
Hoping to erase the pain of Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification in the women’s 50kg category, Sehrawat walked into the bout on the back of consecutive wins on technical superiority. However, he was given a taste of his own medicine having lost 10-0 and eliminated from the gold medal race. The match lasted a little over three matches, eliminating Sehrawat in a one-sided contest.
The defeat for the Indian grappler means he will compete for the bronze medal on Friday where he will have two opportunities. Even if Sehrawat loses the bronze medal match he will advance to the repechage round where he can win a bronze medal.
A win in the bronze medal match will continue India’s tradition of winning an Olympic medal in wrestling in the last five editions. In 2008 Sushilkumar won a bronze medal and upgraded it to silver in the 2012 London Games along Yogeshwar Dutt. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sakshi Malik clinched a bronze while Ravi Dahiya won a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
India adds fourth Paris Olympic medal
Earlier, India added a fourth medal to its tally at the Paris Olympics when they won bronze in men’s hockey. India beat Spain 2-1 and won back-to-back medals in men’s hockey for the first time in 52 years. India won a bronze medal in Mexico in 1968 followed by another bronze in the 1972 Munich Olympics. This is also India’s fourth bronze medal at the Olympic Games taking the overall tally to 13. In its glorious history, India has won eight gold medals along with a silver in the 1956 Melbourne Games while adding to the four bronze medals.
The match also dropped curtains on PR Sreejesh’s illustrious career having served the nation for over two decades.
