Aman Sehrawat locks bronze, carries forward Chhatarsal's rich legacy

Living up to the expectations, Aman Sehrawat on Friday bagged the men's 57kg free-style bronze medal at the Olympics with a commanding win over Darian Toi Cruz, bringing some cheers to the Indian wrestling contingent that has been rocked by controversies.

The 21-year-old U-23 world champion was the lone Indian male wrestler to qualify for the Paris Games and he did not disappoint, winning 13-5 in the bronze play-off at Champ de Mars Arena.

The sport of wrestling has not missed a medal at the Olympics since 2008 and Aman's effort ensured the streak remained unbroken.Sushil Kumar broke the glass ceiling by winning the bronze in Beijing (2008), and since then Yogeshwar Dutt (2012), Sakshi Malik (2016), Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia (2021) have kept the tradition intact.

Aman's effort also helped India win its sixth medal and move closer to the Tokyo Games tally of seven.

Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg), and Nisha Dahiya (68kg) could not reach the medal rounds in their respective categories. On the other hand, Vinesh Phogat (50kg) lost despite entering the final as she was disqualified from the gold-medal bout for being overweight.

The disqualification led to a huge uproar in the country. The decision has been challenged in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The hearing has concluded and a decision is expected by Sunday evening.

Teenager Antim Pangal also landed herself in trouble for sending her sister to the Games Village on her accreditation card. She was deported along with her entourage.

It was a fast-paced bout with quick moves from the two wrestlers.

Once Aman got a measure of his rival, he did not give much of a chance to the Puetro Rican.

He build a healthy 6-3 lead by the end of first period with consecutive takedown moves.

As is usually the case, Aman, who thrives on a high-endurance game, first tried to wear down his opponent and then went for the kill.

With dominating technical-superiority wins over Vladimir Egorov and Zelimkhan Abakarov, the Indian wrestler stormed into the semifinals without conceding a single point but was no match for Japan's Rei Higuchi in the semifinals.

Having lost his parents at a tender age of 12, the famed Chhatrasal stadium -- where his father had enrolled him in 2013 -- became his second home.

He comes from the centre that has given India four Olympic medallists -- Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.

Reetika Hooda (76kg) will be in action on Saturday, and if she wins a medal, India will match its Tokyo tally.