Aman Sehrawat's journey to winning an Olympic bronze medal was marked by an intense and arduous process of weight loss. After his semi-final defeat to Japan's Rei Higuchi, Aman had to shed 4.5 kilograms within 10 hours to qualify for the 57 kg bronze medal play-off.
Starting at 61.5 kg, Aman and his coaches, Jagmander Singh and Virender Dahiya, embarked on a rigorous regime. The mission began with a 90-minute mat session focused on standing wrestling, followed by an hour-long hot-bath session. At midnight, they moved to the gym, where Aman ran non-stop on the treadmill for an hour to induce sweating. After a brief 30-minute rest, Aman underwent five 5-minute sauna sessions, interspersed with massages and light jogging.
By 4:30 am, Aman had successfully reduced his weight to 56.9 kg, just 100 grams under the limit. Throughout the night, he was given lukewarm water with lemon and honey, along with a bit of coffee to sustain energy. Neither Aman nor his coaches slept, continuously monitoring his weight.
The effort paid off when Aman defeated Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz in the bronze medal match, securing his place as India's youngest ever Olympic medallist. Coach Dahiya highlighted the tension they faced, especially after Vinesh Phogat's earlier weight-related disqualification. Their relentless determination ensured another medal for India.
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