The 21-year-old clinched the bronze within the males’s 57 kg freestyle wrestling after defeating Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico by a rating of 13-5.
Finally, good news for Indian Wrestling at the Paris Olympics: Aman Sehrawat secures a medal for India. Aman Sehrawat has finally won a medal for India at the Paris Olympics, bringing good news for Indian wrestling. With this victory, India’s streak of winning a wrestling medal at every Olympics since 2008 continues. It was Sushil Kumar who started this trend at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This win is a significant moment for India, as the dreadful wrestling jinx at the Paris Olympics has finally been broken for the Indian grapplers. Vinesh Phogat, Nisha Dahiya, Antim Panghal, and Anshu Malik had disappointing performances at the Paris Olympics, and it seemed as though the jinx would continue.
Vinesh Phogat: The tons of pain in 100 grams
Vinesh Phogat played her best at the Paris Olympics. After being injured in Rio 2016 and having a disappointing campaign at the 2020 Olympics, she faced many challenges, including protests and personal battles, to secure her place at the Paris Olympics.
She defeated the world champion and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, Japan’s Yui Susaki, in her first bout. Vinesh fought hard and made it to the finals, where she was just one match away from winning a medal for India, with an assured silver in her name. However, events took a turn, and she was disqualified. Despite her efforts to cut her hair and even draw blood to lose weight, she was 100 grams over the 50 kg weight limit.
Nisha Dahiya: Injury came at the most crucial point
Before Vinesh, Nisha Dahiya was on the verge of winning India its first medal in wrestling at the Paris Olympics. Nisha was heading for an easy win in her quarterfinal match, but then she got injured. Nisha suffered a hand injury in the second round, which caused her to kneel down and lose the match 10-8. Following this incident, Indian wrestling’s national coach Virendra Dahiya alleged that the North Korean wrestler, Sol Gum, received a signal from his corner to injure Nisha.
Anshu Malik: Opponent lost in semis as repechage hopes dashed
Indian wrestler Anshu Malik had a disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics. She lost 2-7 to two-time Olympic medallist and fifth seed Helen Lucy Maroulis in the pre-quarterfinals of the 57 kg freestyle event. Competing in her second Olympics, Anshu had hopes for a repechage, but Maroulis lost her semifinal match. The repechage was just one win away, but luck didn’t favour the Indian grappler this time.
Antim Panghal: fought for Paris Olympics but luck did not favour
Antim Panghal was knocked out of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after losing 10-0 to Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep. The Olympic debutant’s hopes of remaining in the race for the bronze medal through the repechage were dashed after Zeynep lost to Germany’s Annika Wendl in the quarterfinals.
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