New Delhi: Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal has seen him create history by becoming the youngest-ever individual Olympic medallist from India at 21 years 0 months and 24 days.
His historic achievement has seen him receive the highest forms of praise from all over the country for his ‘remarkable feet.’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in heaping accolades on the young wrestler who won India’s sixth medal in Paris.
“More pride thanks to our wrestlers! Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat,” read the post by PM Narendra Modi.
The wrestling fraternity as a whole is celebrating the win as he was one of the country’s last hopes of adding to the medal tally.
The 2020 Tokyo bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Aman’s senior at the famed Chhatrasal Akshara in the national capital, went on to narrate Aman’s emotional backstory that led to him creating history.
“Listen to the full story of medal winner Aman Sehrawat. He was only 11 years old when his parents died. The boy had courage and a lot of strength. Uncle dropped him at the Chhatrasal Stadium. Then the arena became Aman’s home. Salute to his uncle, aunt and his village Bihrod, who took care of this boy.”
“He had written on the wall of his room in the arena, “If it were this easy, everyone would do it”. Today Aman has achieved that difficult milestone due to which his photos will be displayed in every wrestling hall of India.
“After his parents, the wrestling arena was his home but now he will live in the hearts of new wrestlers in every wrestling arena in India for years to come. He will live in the heart of every Indian,” posted Punia on X.
Sehrawat defeated Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz 13-5 in the bronze medallist match. He lost against Japanese top-seed Rei Higuchi 0-10 in the semifinal on Thursday.
He had defeated Albania’s Zelimkhan Abakarov, the 2022 world champion and fourth seed, 12-0 in the quarterfinals and cruised past former European champion North Macedonia’s Vladimir Egorov by a 10-0 technical superiority in his round of 16 bout.
“What a way to earn your first Olympic medal! Aman Sehrawat, your performance in the bronze medal match was top-notch! You have battled through every adversity, and despite the struggles, you’ve come out on top. The entire nation is proud of you, Aman! #Paris2024 || #Olympics,” posted BCCI general secretary Jay Shah
“Congratulations Aman! Your determination on the mat, your focus, and the way you carry yourself with humility and grace—these are the qualities that make a true champion. Securing bronze in Paris is a huge achievement, but more than that, it’s a reflection of your relentless pursuit of excellence. I’m incredibly proud of you, and I know you’ve made the entire nation proud too. Keep shining, champ!“ posted Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra on X.
(IANS)
