Young Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat has rejuvenated India’s medal hopes in wrestling with a commanding performance at the Paris Olympics. On Thursday, Sehrawat secured a spot in the 57kg freestyle semifinal by decisively defeating former world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania with a 12-0 technical superiority victory. The 21-year-old grappled with remarkable skill, particularly in the second round, where he executed multiple turns and held to dominate Abakarov and score eight consecutive points.
The bout began with Sehrawat earning a passivity point after Abakarov, who had not engaged in any offensive moves, was penalized. Sehrawat quickly capitalized with a left-leg hold, adding two points to his score and leading 3-0 by the end of the first round. In the second round, Sehrawat’s agility and aggressive tactics overwhelmed Abakarov, a 31-year-old who had been the world champion in 2022. Sehrawat’s execution of a ‘fitley’ (leg lace) manoeuvre, which involved several rapid turns, concluded the match with more than two minutes still remaining on the clock.
Sehrawat’s next challenge will be facing Japanese top seed Rei Higuchi in the semifinals. Earlier in the tournament, Sehrawat had shown his prowess by securing an easy win against North Macedonia’s Vladimir Egorov. The Indian wrestler, who is the only male grappler from India to qualify for the Olympics, delivered a flawless performance to win 10-0 on technical superiority. His dominance was clear as he kept Egorov at bay and performed a decisive takedown to seal the victory.
In contrast, woman wrestler Anshu Malik’s campaign faced a setback as she lost 2-7 to USA’s Helen Louise Maroulis in the 57kg pre-quarterfinals. This match was a rematch of the 2021 World Championship final where Malik had previously lost to Maroulis. Malik’s hopes of a bronze medal now depend on Maroulis reaching the final, which would allow Malik another chance through the ‘repechage’ round.
Despite the loss, Malik’s performance demonstrated her determination and resilience against one of the world’s top wrestlers. She held Maroulis, a three-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, to just a two-point lead in the first round before succumbing to the American’s superior skill in the second round.
