After Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, the Indian wrestler’s sister Pooja Sehrawat said that she was very that her brother could win a medal for the country. Sehrawat, making his Olympic debut, secured the medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz on Friday, marking India’s first wrestling medal at the Paris 2024 Games. Speaking to ANI, Pooja said that they were hoping for the gold medal. She added that the people in the village are happy.

“I am very happy that Aman got a bronze medal for the country. We were hopeful for gold…He (Aman) is very happy. The people in the village are also happy…,” Pooja Sehrawat said.

Earlier, speaking to ANI, Aman said that he was hoping for the gold medal but was still happy to bag the bronze in the wrestling event.

“I am very happy and I still can’t believe that I have won a medal for the country at the Olympics… I was hoping for the gold but I am happy with bronze as well…,” Aman said.

The 21-year-old wrestler added that it was a ‘speechless’ moment after standing on the Olympic podium. The youngster further added that his next target will be to prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics.

“It was a speechless moment when I stood on the podium… from today, my next target will be to prepare for the 2028 Olympics and 2026 Asian Games,” he added.

During the match, the Puerto Rican grappler initially gained the lead by securing a point with a single-leg hold. However, Aman came back strong, scoring points by targeting Darian Cruz’s shoulders.

After Darian Cruz took the lead with a two-point move, Aman regained control.

With 37 seconds left, Aman secured additional points and won the bout with technical superiority as Darian Cruz attempted a desperate move and conceded another point.

Wrestling has been a go-to game for India at Olympics in the past 16 years. The sport has produced medals for the nation in every edition of the Games since 2008. In the last five editions of Olympics wrestling has given India seven medals. Sushil Kumar (bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze in 2012), Sakshi Malik (bronze in 2016), Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver in 2021), Bajrang Punia (bronze in 2021) and Aman Sehrawat (bronze in 2024) are the names who have earned the accolades for the country at the sports biggest extravaganza.

It is interesting to note that all the athletes named above, excluding Sakshi, are the products of Chhatrasal – a venue that has been the breeding ground for Indian wrestling talents.

It was in 1988 when former India wrestler Satpal Singh with other coaches Ramphal Mann, a.k.a. Guru Ramphal, and Pradeep Sharma started the akhada on the premises of Chhatrasal Stadium, stated Times Of India in a report.

Satpal himself shone at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games with multiple medals, but he failed to finish at the podium at Olympics in his two appearances in 1972 and 1980. The Games medal void in his illustrious career was something that propelled Satpal to start the Chhatrasal Akhada.

“Ek mann mein tees thi (there was a pain in my heart of not winning an Olympic medal). That’s why I started the akhada at the Chhatrasal Stadium. I wanted to churn out Olympic medallists for the country,” Satpal told TOI. “Now we have produced not one, but six Olympic medallists.”

Just four years after starting the akhada, Satpal realised the need of mat besides the specially designed dirt floors, which are much famous in Indian wrestling.

Fast forward to 2024, the akhada has all the modern equipments and facilities that are required for wrestlers to become world champions. After locking a bronze medal for himself in Paris Olympics, Aman carried forward Chhatarsal’s rich legacy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded wrestler Aman Sehrawat for winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and said his life is inspirational for others. Congratulating the 21-year-old athlete over the phone, he noted that Sehrawat was the youngest of the Indian medal-winners in this Olympic games, and said his feat will continue to bring the country joy for a long time. “Your life is inspirational for the people of the country,” the prime minister said. Modi noted that Sehrawat lost his parents at a young age and has devoted himself to wrestling.

Sehrawat conveyed his thanks to the prime minister for all the facilities given to him and expressed confidence about winning the gold medal in the next Olympic games. “Olympics 2028 mein gold le aaunga (I will win gold medal in Olympics 2028),” promised Aman to PM Modi.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Aman Sehrawat to congratulate him on winning the Bronze medal in the men’s freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024. pic.twitter.com/A2MGFYejEE

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2024

Aman Sehrawat became India’s youngest ever Olympic medallist by clinching the 57kg free-style category bronze less than a month after his 21st birthday to complete a memorable Games debut and lift the sagging spirits of the controversy-hit national wrestling contingent in Paris on Friday.

Sehrawat, who turned 21 on July 16, notched up a commanding 13-5 win over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz in a high-intensity third-place contest.

Before him, the celebrated P V Sindhu held the title of being India’s youngest Olympic podium finisher after she claimed a silver in the 2016 Games at the age of 21 years, one month and 14 days.

Sehrawat has not even completed a month since turning 21. His effort helped India win its sixth medal and move closer to the Tokyo Games tally of seven. The country has so far secured one silver and five bronze, including today’s medal.

The 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.