Wrestler Aman Sehrawat Sheds 4.6kg in Hours to Secure Playoff Spot

Aman Sehrawat faced a significant challenge after his semifinal defeat on Thursday. Weighing 61.5kg, he needed to shed 4.6kg within 10 hours to meet the permissible limit for the men's 57kg category. His coaches, Jagmander Singh and Virender Dahiya, were determined to avoid another setback like Vinesh Phogat's disqualification for being overweight by 100g.

The mission to cut weight began immediately after Aman's loss to Japan's Rei Higuchi at around 6:30 pm. The coaches initiated a rigorous regime starting with a one-and-a-half-hour mat session focusing on standing wrestling. This was followed by a one-hour hot-bath session to induce sweating.

Intense Weight-Cutting Regime

At 12:30 am, Aman hit the gym for a non-stop one-hour treadmill run. The intense sweating was crucial for weight reduction. After a brief 30-minute rest, he underwent five sessions of 5-minute sauna baths. Despite these efforts, he still weighed 900g over the limit.

To tackle this, Aman received a massage and then engaged in light jogging, followed by five 15-minute running sessions. By 4:30 am, his weight dropped to 56.9kg, just under the limit. Throughout this period, Aman consumed lukewarm water with lemon and honey and a bit of coffee.

Relentless Efforts Pay Off

Coach Dahiya explained the tension they felt due to Vinesh Phogat's recent disqualification. "Weight cutting is routine, normal for us but there was tension, a lot of tension due to what happened the other day with Vinesh. We could not let slip another medal," said Dahiya.

Aman did not sleep that night; instead, he watched videos of wrestling bouts to stay focused. "I watched videos of wrestling bouts, the whole night," he said. Coach Dahiya added, "We kept checking his weight every hour. We didn't sleep the whole night, not even during the day."

Historic Achievement

All their hard work culminated in success when Aman won the bronze medal by defeating Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz on Friday. This victory made him India's youngest ever Olympic medallist.

The dedication shown by Aman and his coaches highlights the extreme measures athletes sometimes need to take to compete at their best. Their relentless efforts ensured that India secured another prestigious medal on the international stage.

The story of Aman's weight-cutting journey underscores the physical and mental challenges faced by athletes striving for excellence in their sport.