The world of wrestling is abuzz with anticipation as the last Olympic qualifying event is set to take place in Istanbul. Among the athletes participating, one name stands out – Aman Sehrawat. The U23 world champion has high hopes pinned on him as he prepares to take to the mat to secure a spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
No room for error for Aman Sehrawat in Istanbul
Aman Sehrawat, along with Deepak Punia, will be keenly followed as they aim to lock the men’s freestyle quotas for the Paris Olympics. This event is the last opportunity to secure a spot for the Paris Games. There were high hopes that Aman would qualify for the Games either at the World Championships or the Asian Qualifiers in Bishkek, but both chances were lost.
While Aman (57kg) bumped into a strong opponent in Gulomjon Abdullaev in the quota-deciding bout in Bishkek, both World Championships silver medallist Deepak (86kg) and Sujeet Kalkal (65kg) could not reach Bishkek on time after being stuck in Dubai due to a storm. Now, it’s a do-or-die situation for all Indian wrestlers at Istanbul where the two finalists in each category will be awarded the quotas.
The tournament will begin with Greco-Roman style and followed by women’s and freestyle on the last two days of the four-day qualifying competition. None of the Indian men’s wrestlers has so far got a quota and drawing a blank will be a huge embarrassment for the country that took some major strides in international wrestling.
Endurance has always been the strong point of Indian wrestlers but their preparations have suffered in the absence of national camps and competitions due to protest. Usually, the Indian wrestlers tire their opponents out but for that to happen, it is important to stretch the bout to a full six minutes.
“If the bouts last full distance, Aman can beat any wrestler, so managing the first three minutes are crucial. He was obviously very disappointed for what happened in Bishkek,” said coach Praveen Dahiya who trained him for four years before being shifted out of Chattrasal Stadium.
“There is no national camp for some time and because of that the sport has suffered. It has impacted the preparations adversely, the change in coaching staff also affects. The wrestler has a certain comfort and tuning with coaches they train and when they get changed, that also affects them I feel,” he added.
Indian team
M Greco-Roman
60kg: Sumit
67kg: Ashu
77kg: Vikas
87kg: Sunil Kumar
97kg: Nitesh
130kg: NaveenW Freestyle
62kg: Mansi
68kg: NishaM Freestyle
57kg: Aman Sehrawat (2nd seed)
65kg: Sujeet
74kg: Jaideep
86kg: Deepak Punia
97kg: Deepak (not Punia)
125kg: Sumit— The Sports Niche (@thesportsniche) May 8, 2024
If Aman fails to lock a quota, it would also mean that Tokyo Games silver medallist Ravi Dahiya would also lose a chance to compete in Paris. Despite the challenges, the hopes are high for Aman Sehrawat. His journey in Istanbul will be closely watched by Indian wrestling enthusiasts, and his performance could potentially mark a significant milestone in his career.