Paris: Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat’s dreams of securing a gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics were dashed as he suffered a 0-10 defeat against Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the men’s 57kg freestyle semifinal. The match, held at the Champ-de-Mars Arena, saw Higuchi dominate from the outset, ending the bout in just two minutes and 14 seconds.
Aman, the current Asian champion, struggled to find his footing against the experienced Japanese wrestler, who was a silver medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Higuchi quickly scored four points in his first attack and continued to build on his lead, leaving Aman with little opportunity to counter. The match ended with Higuchi securing a decisive victory, advancing him to the final.
Despite the loss, Aman’s Olympic journey is not over. He will now compete in the bronze medal bout on August 9 against Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico, who is a Pan American Games bronze medallist. This match offers Aman a chance to bring home a medal and make his country proud.
Meanwhile, Rei Higuchi will face off against Spencer Richard Lee of the USA in the final, which is set to be an intense battle for the gold medal.
Indian wrestling fans are hopeful that Aman can bounce back from this defeat and secure a podium finish at the Summer Games.
