Wrestler Aman Sehrawat seals Paris 2024 Olympics berth, Deepak Punia crashes out

At the World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers held in Istanbul, Turkey, Aman Sehrawat, an esteemed Asian champion and U23 world champion, showcased his prowess by clinching a coveted Paris 2024 quota for India in the men's 57kg freestyle category. His impressive performance culminated in a resounding victory over Chongsong Han of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the semi-final, where he dominated with a commanding score of 12-2.

This significant achievement marks India's sixth quota in wrestling for the Paris 2024 Olympics, signifying a remarkable milestone for the nation's wrestling contingent. Notably, Sehrawat's triumph represents India's inaugural Paris 2024 quota in men's freestyle wrestling, distinguishing it from the previous five quotas secured exclusively by Indian women wrestlers.

The Istanbul event served as the ultimate opportunity for wrestlers to secure quotas for the upcoming Summer Games, with three Paris Olympic quotas available in each weight class. The allocation of quotas hinged on the performance of the finalists and the outcome of a playoff bout involving the bronze medallists in the respective weight categories.

In the preceding rounds, the 20-year-old Sehrawat demonstrated his mettle by defeating Olympian Georgi Vangelov of Bulgaria with a commendable score of 10-4, propelled by an impressive tally of five takedowns. He continued his stellar run by triumphing over Andriy Yatsenko of Ukraine with a commanding 12-2 victory, setting the stage for his pivotal clash to secure the coveted quota.