“I told myself that I am fighting at state level” - Aman Sehrawat on handling nerves during bronze medal wrestling bout at Paris Olympics 2024
In an interesting insight into his mind, wrestler Aman Sehrawat revealed how he held his nerves during his bronze medal winning bout. Sehrawat competed in the men's 57kg wrestling category at the Paris Olympics 2024. The youngster defeated Darian Cruze of Puerto Rico to clinch the bronze medal on August 9.
Speaking on what he was thinking after having lost in the semifinal, Amit disclosed something fascinating. The wrestler shared that he stopped thinking of it as an Olympic bout and instead treated it as a state-level competition. He came back from a one-point deficit to win the bronze medal match.
"First I thought, I am in the semi-final and I lost six points. Then it hit me that I’ve lost six points in an Olympic bout what should I do now? I told myself that it isn’t an Olympic bout and I’m still fighting at the state level," Aman told PTI.
He talked further about how he had lost 3.5kg before his semifinal bout. The weight requirement had made much news around the country after Vinesh Phogat's disqualification fiasco. However, the 21-year-old revealed it was not much of a hassle for him.
“It was not a major issue, we already had plans to cut weight and some 3.5 kg weight was increased, so I cut the weight overnight and then I went for the weigh in,” Said Sehrawat.
Aman Sehrawat becomes India's youngest-ever Olympic medalist
Not only did Aman Sehrawat bring home one of India's six medals from the Paris Olympics 2024, he became the youngest to do so. Sehrawat was 21 years, zero months, and 24 days when he won the bronze in Paris. He overtook P.V. Sindhu who was the previous youngest, with her silver at Rio 2016.
The Haryana-born athlete showed composure and maturity beyond his age, right through the competition. He first defeated Vladimir Egorov of North Macedonia in the round of 16, 10-0. Sehrwat then won his quarterfinal bout 12-0 against Albania's Zelimkhan Abakanov.
The rising star suffered a loss in the semifinal to Rei Higuchi of Japan. However, Aman Sehrawat made a roaring comeback to win 13-5 in the bronze medal match.