Aman Sehrawat bronze: At 21, the wrestler becomes youngest Indian to win individual Olympic medal; Here is all you need to know

Creating history in Paris, Aman Sehrawat on Friday bagged the men's 57kg free-style bronze medal at the Olympics with a commanding win over Darian Toi Cruz, bringing some cheers to the Indian wrestling contingent that has been rocked by controversies.

The 21-year-old 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 at Champ de Mars Arena. With this bronze win, the wrestler is now India's youngest Indian to win an individual Olympic medal.

Who is Aman Sehrawat?

Born on July 16, 2003, Sehrawat came to prominence after securing a bronze medal in the 57 kg category at the 2022 Asian Games. In April 2023, he clinched a gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan. His career, though young, is already decorated with numerous accolades, including gold medals at the 2024 Zagreb and 2022 Almaty Grand Prix, and the 2022 Pontevedra U23 World Championships.


Hailing from Jhajjar, Haryana, Aman faced immense personal challenges early in life after he lost his parents at the tender age of 10 years. "After losing my parents, I thought my world had ended," Aman has said in previous interviews, highlighting the emotional toll these events took on him.

Following these tragedies, Aman and his younger sister, Puja Sehrawat, were taken in by their uncle, Sudhir Sehrawat, and a maternal aunt. His grandfather, Mangeram Sehrawat, played a critical role in his upbringing, helping him overcome severe depression. "My grandfather was my anchor. He encouraged me to pursue wrestling and kept me going when I wanted to give up," Aman has shared.

Having lost his parents at a tender age of 12, the famed Chhatrasal stadium -- where his father had enrolled him in 2013 -- became Sehrawat's second home.

The stadium that became his shelter was the one gave India four Olympic medallists -- Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.

And Sehrawat ensured that he joined the roll of honour as the youngest among the giants who did it before him.

Rising Through the Wrestling Ranks
Despite the early hardships, Aman found solace in wrestling, a sport he began training in under the guidance of coach Lalit Kumar. His dedication to the sport soon bore fruit when he won his first National Championship title in 2021. Since then, Aman’s career has been on an upward trajectory. In 2022, he secured a bronze medal in the 57kg category at the Asian Games, followed by a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

"Wrestling is not just a sport for me; it’s a way to honor my family's legacy," he once remarked.