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Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat's Olympic gold medal hopes were dashed in the 57kg freestyle semifinal, as he succumbed to a dominant performance by Japanese top seed Rei Higuchi. The 21-year-old Sehrawat, who had impressed with two decisive victories in the earlier rounds, was outclassed by the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist.Higuchi's technical superiority was evident from the outset, as he swiftly attacked Sehrawat's legs to establish a 4-0 lead within seconds. The Japanese wrestler, a former world champion in the 61kg category, maintained relentless pressure, targeting Sehrawat's legs and executing effortless throw downs to accumulate six more points and end the contest in just over two minutes.Sehrawat's journey to the semifinals had been marked by impressive victories. He had demolished former world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania by technical superiority, showcasing his agility and leg-hold dominance. In the pre-quarterfinal round, he had also secured an easy passage into the last-eight with a dominating performance against North Macedonian rival Vladimir Egorov.However, Higuchi proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for Sehrawat. The Japanese wrestler's superior technique and experience allowed him to control the bout and prevent Sehrawat from mounting any significant offense.Despite the setback, Sehrawat will have the opportunity to compete for a bronze medal. His performance in the Olympics has been a testament to his talent and determination, and he remains a promising prospect for Indian wrestling.

India's wrestling contingent is poised to embark on their quest for Olympic glory at the upcoming Paris 2024 Games. Six Indian wrestlers, including one male and five females, will represent the nation at the Champ de Mars Arena in the French capital.Aman Sehrawat, the 20-year-old Asian champion and Asian Games bronze medalist, will carry India's hopes in the men's freestyle 57kg category. Sehrawat, who replaced Ravi Kumar Dahiya in the category, is known for his ability to withstand pressure and keep opponents at bay.In the women's division, all eyes will be on two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who will compete in the 50kg category. Phogat, India's most accomplished female wrestler, has won two World Championships, three Commonwealth Games, and eight Asian Championships medals. However, she is yet to prove her worth on the Olympic stage, having suffered a freak injury in Rio 2016 and a crushing defeat in Tokyo 2020.Other Indian wrestlers to watch out for include Commonwealth Games silver medalist Anshu Malik (women's 57kg), U-23 world champion Reetika Hooda (women's 76kg), and Asian Championships silver medalist Nisha Dahiya (women's 68kg). All three will be making their Olympic debuts in Paris.India's wrestling schedule at the 2024 Paris Olympics is as follows:* August 5 (6:30 PM IST): Women's 68kg (Nisha Dahiya)* August 6 (3:00 PM IST): Women's 50kg (Vinesh Phogat)* August 7 (3:00 PM IST): Women's 53kg (Antim Panghal)* August 8 (3:00 PM IST): Men's freestyle 57kg (Aman Sehrawat), Women's 57kg (Anshu Malik)* August 10 (3:00 PM IST): Women's 76kg (Reetika Hooda)The Indian wrestlers will face stiff competition from the likes of the United States, Russia, Japan, and Iran. However, they will be determined to make their mark on the Olympic stage and bring glory to their nation.

Indian wrestling has established itself as a dominant force in the Olympics, with medal-winning performances in every edition since 2008. This success has elevated wrestling's status in the country, inspiring young athletes and raising hopes for continued excellence.Sushil Kumar's bronze medal in Beijing 2008 marked a turning point, followed by his silver in London 2012 and Yogeshwar Dutt's bronze in the same Games. Sakshi Malik's bronze in Rio 2016 and the double delight of Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia in Tokyo 2021 further cemented India's wrestling prowess.However, the sport faced a setback due to prolonged protests against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by elite wrestlers. This led to the suspension of national camps and domestic competitions, creating uncertainty and confusion.Despite these challenges, India has qualified six wrestlers for the upcoming Paris Olympics: Aman Sehrawat (men's freestyle 50kg), Vinesh Phogat (women's 50kg), Antim Panghal (women's 53kg), Anshu Malik (women's 57kg), Nisha Dahiya (women's 68kg), and Reetika Hooda (women's 76kg).Aman Sehrawat:Sehrawat's steady progress has earned him a spot in the 50kg weight division, replacing Olympic silver medalist Ravi Dahiya. His strengths lie in his stamina and endurance, making him a formidable opponent in long bouts. However, his limited strategy and technique could be a weakness.Vinesh Phogat:Phogat is one of India's most accomplished female wrestlers, known for her solid defense and impressive attack. However, her lack of quality mat time in recent years and the weight cut to 50kg could pose challenges.Antim Panghal:Panghal's flexibility and ability to escape her rivals' grips make her a dangerous opponent. However, her lack of recent competition due to a back injury could be a concern.Anshu Malik:Malik's quick movement and aggressive style have made her a promising prospect. Despite her experience at the Tokyo Olympics, her fitness is a worry due to a suspected shoulder injury.Nisha Dahiya:Dahiya's aggressive game style and fearless approach have earned her a spot in the Paris Games. However, her lack of exposure to major events and tendency to lose steam in the later stages of bouts could be weaknesses.Reetika Hooda:Hooda's explosive strength and technique make her a potential threat to her rivals. However, her habit of conceding points in the closing seconds of bouts could be a vulnerability.

Four Indian wrestlers who have secured quota berths for the Paris Olympics have appealed to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to exempt them from selection trials, citing the proximity of the Games and the potential impact on their preparation.Aman Sehrawat (57kg), Reetika Hooda (76kg), Nisha Dahiya (68kg), and Anshu Malik (57kg) have individually written to the WFI, requesting their selection without trials. They argue that with only 10 weeks remaining before the Olympics, every day of training is crucial and that preparing for additional competitions would disrupt their plans."It leaves us with just 10 weeks of preparation time before the event, which is already less considering the timelines. Every single day of training is very important for me. Around this crucial time, preparing for another competition again affects my training plan, my diet, weight maintenance, and I will lose out on a lot of practice sessions because of this," one wrestler wrote in their letter.The wrestlers also expressed concerns about the risk of injuries at this stage. "It is too close to the Paris Olympics. If trials are held, all our focus will be on that instead of preparation towards Paris," said one wrestler.The WFI has scheduled a selection committee meeting on Tuesday to discuss the wrestlers' request. A member of the committee acknowledged the wrestlers' concerns and stated that all aspects would be considered."There is no doubt the Paris Olympics are very close and you want the wrestlers to completely focus on preparation at this point. The selection committee will look into every aspect," said the member.If the trials are not held, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Ravi Dahiya will not have a second chance to qualify in the 57kg category.India has a strong tradition in wrestling, having won at least one medal in the last four Olympics. The country's wrestlers have won a total of seven medals in the sport.

India's Olympic wrestling hopes have been dampened after only one male freestyle wrestler, Aman Sehrawat, qualified for the Paris Games. Sujeet Kalkal and Jaideep Ahlawat's losses in the repechage rounds at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul dashed India's chances of sending more men to the Olympics.Wrestling was India's most successful sport at the Tokyo Olympics, with Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia winning silver and bronze medals, respectively. However, the sport has been plagued by turmoil in the past year due to protests and a lack of national camps.Sujeet's failure to qualify also ends Punia's hopes of competing in Paris. Dahiya remains in contention, but he will have to prove his worth in selection trials scheduled for June 10.In women's wrestling, India has secured quotas through Vinesh Phogat, Antim Panghal, Anshu Malik, Nisha Dahiya, and Reetika Hooda. Vinesh, who has been at the forefront of the wrestling protests, has the option to compete in either 50kg or 53kg.WFI president Sanjay Singh emphasized that Vinesh must choose one weight class for the trials. "She has to choose between 50kg and 53kg; whichever weight she gives her weigh-in, she can compete in that," Singh said.Despite the challenges, India's wrestlers remain determined to make their mark in Paris. However, the lack of preparation and turmoil within the sport have raised concerns about their ability to replicate their success from Tokyo.

Aman Sehrawat has secured India's first quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics in men's freestyle wrestling, triumphing in the 57kg division at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul. The Asian Games medalist showcased his dominance throughout the tournament, comfortably winning all his bouts.In the crucial semi-final, Sehrawat faced Asian Games silver medalist Chongsong Han of North Korea. Despite a tight first period, Sehrawat's superior technique and relentless attacks proved too much for Han. He secured a 12-2 victory, sealing the Olympic quota for India.Sehrawat's success also provides a lifeline to Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Ravi Dahiya, who competes in the same weight class. The Olympic quota belongs to the country, and Sehrawat will likely have to win the selection trials at home to represent India in Paris.Sujeet Kalkal also impressed in the 65kg division, reaching the semi-finals before losing to experienced Mongolian wrestler Tomor-Ochiryn Tulga. However, the 22-year-old will have another chance to qualify for Paris in the repechage on Sunday.Sehrawat's journey to the Olympics has been marked by consistent progress. In 2022, he became the world U23 champion. Last year, he won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games and gold at the Asian Championships in Astana. Despite missing out on qualification at the 2023 world championships and the Asian Qualifiers, Sehrawat remained determined and seized his opportunity in Istanbul.Sehrawat's victory is a testament to the depth of talent in Indian wrestling. With Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia also in contention, India has a strong chance of medaling in the 57kg and 65kg weight classes at the Paris Olympics.

Deepak Punia's Olympic qualification hopes suffered a major setback at the World Qualifiers in Sofia, Bulgaria, as he succumbed to a crushing first-round defeat. The 23-year-old, who narrowly missed a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games, was outmuscled by China's Zushen Lin in the 86kg category, losing 4-6.Punia's fate now rests on the Chinese wrestler reaching the final, which would open up the repechage route for the Indian. However, the odds are stacked against Punia, as Lin is a formidable opponent.Meanwhile, young Aman Sehrawat emerged as a beacon of hope for India, advancing to the 57kg semifinals with two dominant victories. The 20-year-old, who is the reigning U23 world champion and Asian Championship title winner, showcased his strength and technique in both his bouts.Sehrawat comfortably defeated Georgi Valentinov Vangelov of Bulgaria 10-4 before overpowering Ukraine's Andrii Yatsenko by technical superiority. Yatsenko proved to be a quick opponent, but Sehrawat's superior strength allowed him to control the match and secure a takedown victory without conceding a single point.In the 65kg category, Sujeet Kalkal also impressed, winning his first two bouts with a 3-2 victory over Uzbekistan's Umidjon Jalolov and a technical superiority victory against Korea's Junsik Yun. Kalkal faces a tougher test in the quarterfinals.Jaideep Ahlawat also advanced to the quarterfinals in the 74kg weight class, pulling off a stunning four-pointer double-leg attack to defeat Moldova's Vasile Diacon 5-3. He followed that up with a technical superiority victory against Austria's Simon Marchl.Despite these positive performances, the Indian contingent suffered setbacks in other weight classes. Deepak (97kg) and Sumit Malik (125kg) both lost their first-round bouts, leaving Punia as the only remaining hope for an Olympic berth.

India's hopes of securing an Olympic quota in men's wrestling at the Asian Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, were dashed after Aman Sehrawat, the lone Indian to reach the semi-finals, was pinned by Uzbekistan's Gulomjon Abdullaev in the 57kg freestyle category.Sehrawat, the reigning Asian champion, had a promising start, defeating Kazakhstan's Yerassyl Mukhtaruly and South Korea's Sunggwon Kim in the earlier rounds. However, Abdullaev proved to be an insurmountable obstacle.The Uzbek wrestler, known for his aggressive style, attacked Sehrawat's right leg early on and executed a single-leg takedown. He then threatened to run away with the bout by grabbing both of Sehrawat's legs. Despite Sehrawat's attempts to ward off the attack, Abdullaev secured a four-point duckunder.Sehrawat's coach, Lalit Kumar, attributed the loss to Abdullaev's superior experience and aggressive tactics. "Abdullaev was the only real challenger that Aman had," Kumar said. "He has always had a measure of Indians."Sehrawat's plan was to take the bout to the second period, where Abdullaev's energy levels typically decline. However, the Indian wrestler was unable to recover from Abdullaev's early attacks.Kumar also noted that Sehrawat was carrying a niggle in his groin and hamstring, which may have affected his performance.The defeat leaves India with no Olympic quotas from the Asian Qualifiers. The team will now have to rely on the World Qualifiers in May for their final chance to secure a spot at the Paris Games.

The Commonwealth Games trials proved to be a turning point for 20-year-old wrestler Aman Sehrawat. Facing Olympic silver medalist Ravi Dahiya, Aman suffered a humiliating 10-0 defeat. However, this setback ignited a fire within him, as he realized the need to overcome the mental pressure that had hindered his performance.Inspired by Dahiya, Aman had always looked up to him as a mentor and guide. But to achieve his Olympic dream, he knew he had to break free from the reverence he held for his idol. Since the trials, Aman has meticulously studied the replay of that match, identifying his weaknesses and vowing to avoid repeating the same mistakes."I realized I was not competing with a free mind," Aman said. "I was playing with the pressure of competing against an Olympic medalist. He was dictating the pace, and I was simply getting drawn into his gameplan."To prepare for the Olympic qualifiers, Aman stopped sparring with Dahiya and focused on improving his technique and mental fortitude. He drew inspiration from Dahiya's journey, knowing that if his mentor could overcome adversity to win an Olympic medal, so could he."Beating him in the trials was not easy," Aman admitted. "I have not gone a single day without watching the replay of the CWG trials, including today. I worked on my weaknesses and stopped sparring with him. We were training with different partners."Their similar wrestling styles resulted in a thrilling high-scoring bout in the Olympic qualifier trials, where Aman emerged victorious with a narrow 14-13 margin. Despite his triumph, Aman acknowledged Dahiya's struggles after returning from injury."You know it is not easy when you have surgery and do not compete enough," Aman said. "Ravi gained weight after injury, and it has taken him time to return to the mat."Aman is now determined to secure an Olympic quota and continue the legacy of his weight class, which has produced renowned wrestlers like Yogeshwar Dutt and Ravi Dahiya.Similarly, 22-year-old Sujeet Kalkal carries the weight of representing India in the 65kg category, previously dominated by Bajrang Punia. Despite not facing Punia in the trials, Sujeet displayed composure and defeated Rohit by superiority in the final."I have been working on this trial for a long time," Sujeet said. "I won titles in National Games and National Championships. So, I kept giving myself small goals and prepared along the way for the trials."Sujeet's technical prowess and international experience, including victories over world-class wrestlers, give him confidence in his ability to succeed on the international stage."This is a weight class where you need speed, stamina, strength, everything," Sujeet said. "I am young and still developing my strength and improving day by day. My game is technical like most international competitors."