For months on, Indian wrestling’s largest prodigy, Aman Sehrawat, needed to endure a snippy taunt at his akhara – dheela.
It had nothing to do along with his relaxed manner. Reasonably, that was how Sehrawat’s coaches described – at occasions sarcastically, generally in a caustic approach however at all times out of frustration – his wrestling model within the opening few exchanges of a bout. The barb would have maybe rung in his ears on Wednesday.
Whereas he went on to win the 57kg title on the UWW Rating Sequence in Zagreb, beating China’s Wanhao Zou 10-0 within the gold medal bout, Sehrawat was a little bit sluggish off the blocks earlier within the day within the opening spherical.
In his first bout of the yr, the 20-year-old, allowed Turkey’s M Karavus a four-point takedown throughout the opening 10 seconds of the Rating Sequence match in Zagreb.
That transfer appeared to have woken up Sehrawat because it was the one time Sehrawant conceded factors within the match. Fast and aggressive, Sehrawat steamrolled his opponents, together with Karavus towards whom the Indian took 10 straight factors, to start the Olympic yr with a title.
For Indian wrestling that’s been mired in doom and gloom of participant protests, sexual harassment allegations towards former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, worldwide suspension and a home flux for a yr, this was uncommon excellent news.
Higher even for Sehrawat’s coach, who was thrilled that the low season work to enhance the wrestler’s sluggish begins paid off.
“There weren’t many tournaments in the previous few months however we didn’t cease working even for a day. The complete time was used to enhance his begins,” mentioned his coach Lalit Kumar, who was on Tuesday feted with the Dronacharya Award. “It took a while to drill the thought in his thoughts that if he needs to be on the Olympics and win a medal, he can’t be dheela even for a second on the mat.”
Sehrawat vs Dahiya for Olympic spot
Being on the Olympics and standing on a podium isn’t plain rhetoric. Sehrawat, from Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, is tipped extensively to observe the footsteps of the academy’s alumni Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya – all Olympic medallists.
Nonetheless in his second yr in senior wrestling, the Paris Olympics might need come a little bit too early for the junior world champion and senior Asian champion within the 57kg weight class. However that hasn’t stopped him from making ready for a possible showdown with Tokyo Olympics silver medallist and his idol Dahiya on the choice trials subsequent month.
The winner of these trials will get the primary likelihood to clinch an Olympic berth at a qualifying occasion in April. And even which may not be sufficient to get on the aircraft to Paris. The ultimate trials for the Paris Olympics are prone to be held on Could 31 and June 1 and the winner of that can get a shot at Olympic glory.
Aman Sehrawat, in 57 kg class through the trials, at IG Stadium, in New Delhi on Sunday, July 23, 2023. (Categorical photograph by Abhinav Saha)
Probably, there might be multiple bouts between the nation’s two finest light-weight wrestlers to resolve who will get to be the only real consultant within the 57kg class.
Dahiya, due to his worldwide pedigree, would have been an apparent selection till not too way back. However Sehrawat’s gradual rise and the Tokyo silver medallist’s bout with accidents have spiced up the competition. The truth that Dahiya misplaced to a nondescript wrestler from Maharashtra through the Asian Video games trials – which Sehrawat received with out breaking a lot sweat – provides one other layer to it.
Symbolically, maybe, Dahiya has chosen France as his venue to compete in his first worldwide match in a yr. Watching him intently subsequent week could be Sehrawat and his coaches.
“At Chhatrasal, we’ve got at all times had an issue of a lot so it’s not unusual to have multiple world-class wrestler in a weight class,” Lalit says. “Each shall be nicely ready. Ravi has his group and Aman trains with me, as he has since his childhood.”
Stint in Dagestan
At Chhatrasal, Sehrawat’s upper-body power and fast leg work have been spoken about extremely for years. In the previous few months, Lalit has labored on enhancing his response time firstly of the bout.
It was a significant deficiency in Sehrawat’s sport, Lalit says, one which was uncovered completely through the World Championship final yr. “I gave him an earful after that. It was his first yr on the senior circuit so every little thing was new for him however at that second, we knew that if Aman has to win at main occasions, he’ll have to begin higher. He can’t be dheela,” Lalit mentioned.
And so, through the low season coaching, he was paired up with companions who have been faster and examined his response pace. His weight loss program was modified to extend pace and quick sprints have been launched to his routine.
Lalit admits Sehrawat continues to be a piece in progress and to evolve additional, the wrestler is about to journey to Dagestan, one of many largest wrestling hubs on the earth. It’s the primary time Sehrawat will journey outdoors India, fairly outdoors Chhatrasal Stadium, for coaching.
“He’ll spar with new companions since wrestlers from all around the world land there. It’ll open him as much as new kinds and methods,” Lalit says. “It’ll be a brief stint, simply to offer a of completion to his preparations earlier than the choice trials subsequent month.”