Vinesh’s heartbreaking disqualification sombered the mood in the Indian camp at the Paris Olympics 2024. Someone needed to step up for the sake of the nation, and on Friday, young Aman Sehrawat- India’s only male wrestler in Paris, did so.  

Aman Sehrawat 

Born on July 16, 2003, Aman is from Birohar, a tiny village in Haryana’s Jhajjar. As a child, he always had a keen interest in mud wrestling. Like in other rural areas, Birohar also faced challenges like regular power cuts and salty canal water. Residents must walk 500 meters to tube wells for clean drinking water.  

Sehrawat was only 10, when he made up his mind to practice wrestling following his icon,  Sushil Kumar.  

From Struggles to Dreams 

Achieving this dream, was not much easy for Sehrawat. At the age of 11, Sehrawat lost both his parents. His mother, who was suffering from mental health concerns, took her own life. Shortly after this, his father, a former tractor mechanic and farmer, also passed away.  

Sehrawat and his younger sister Puja now stayed with their uncle, Sudhir Sehrawat. Sudhir disclosed in an interview with Hindustan Times that Aman struggled with depression and considered using drugs, following his mother’s demise. However, things became a lot better for him, after he began training at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, which is known for producing notable wrestlers. 

Triumph at Paris Olympics 2024 

The 21-year-old Aman clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. The boy brought glory to the nation, maintaining India’s five-year Olympic wrestling winning streak that began with Sushil Kumar in 2008.  

But the real challenge for Sehrawat was battling his own inner demon, the night before the match. 

On Thursday night, Aman Sehrawat weighed over 1.5 kg more than his competition weight of 57 kg. Although it was normal, Vinesh Phogat’s recent disqualification raised concerns.  

“After his semifinal, Aman had gained 1.5 kg, which is normal for wrestlers. He did 1.5 hours of mat training and then hit the gym around 12:30 am. By 4 am, he gained control over his weight and went to his room for some rest.  

Twelve hours later, the boy stepped on the mat and returned with a medal in hand.  

After clinching the medal, Aman stated that his victory is a tribute to his parents. “This medal is for my parents. They don’t even know that I became a wrestler, that there’s something called the Olympics,” he stated.