Aman Sehrawat cuts down 4.5 kgs overnight before bronze medal match

Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat cut down 4.5 kgs in about 10 hours to be within the permissible weight range ahead of his bronze medal play-off match at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Friday night.

Aman was 61.5 kg after his semifinal loss to Japan’s Rei Higuchi on Thursday and the Indian grappler had to lose 4.5 kg in less than 12 hours before the official weigh-in. His weight category is 57 kg.

India’s Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from competing in the gold medal match after the Indian wrestler was found to be 100 grams more than her permissible weight. The Indian wrestler has now taken a legal route for which the official verdict is yet to come.

Vinesh worked tirelessly with her personal trainers and dieticians in her quest to reduce her weight but in the end she fell short.

Aman and the Indian coaches – Jagmander Singh and Virender Dahiya – couldn’t afford another slip-up and the trio were up against an uphill battle.

The 21-year-old Indian wrestler worked tirelessly throughout the night to cut down his weight.

He started with a one-and-a-half-hour mat session in which the trio had a standing wrestling session. It was then followed by a one-hour hot-bath session.

Around midnight, they hit the gymnasium where Aman had to run on the treadmill for about 60 to 65 minutes non-stop.

A 30 minute break followed but he was still more way more than the permissible weight. He was given warm water with lemon and honey along with some coffee.

Aman then took five sessions of a five-minute sauna bath, went for a massage later and did light jogging exercises.

By day break, the Indian wrestler was below the permissible weight mark and was good to go. The official weigh in happens around 7.30 am to 8 am.

All the hard work bore fruit when Aman beat Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz to become India’s youngest Olympic medallist.