Aman Sehrawat lost 4.6kg in 10 hours before his bronze medal match at Paris Olympics 2024. Know how?

Aman Sehrawat lost 4.6kg in 10 hours before his bronze medal match at Paris Olympics 2024. (PTI Photo)

To achieve success, Aman Sehrawat first faced a significant challenge. After his semi-final defeat to the eventual champion Rei Higuchi on Thursday, the scales showed 61.5 kg, necessitating a swift and dramatic weight cut to qualify for the 57 kg bronze medal bout. With only 10 hours before the mandatory weigh-in, Aman needed to shed 4.5 kilograms.

Alongside his coaches, Jagmander Singh and Virender Dahiya, Aman embarked on a rigorous weight-cutting regime. By the next morning, Aman and his team had successfully reduced his weight to 56.9 kg—100 grams below the crucial limit, a stark contrast to Vinesh Phogat’s unfortunate disqualification for being 100 grams over.

The intense process began with a one-and-a-half-hour mat session focused on standing wrestling, followed by a hot bath. At 12:30, Aman hit the gym for a relentless hour-long treadmill run to sweat out excess weight. After a brief rest, he undertook five sessions of 5-minute sauna baths. Despite these efforts, he was still 900 grams over the limit.

In the final push, Aman received a massage and light jogging was incorporated into his routine. He completed five 15-minute running sessions. By 4:30 am, he had achieved the necessary weight of 56.9 kg, providing a moment of relief for his coaches and himself.

Throughout this ordeal, Aman consumed lukewarm water with lemon and honey, and a bit of coffee to stay hydrated. He stayed awake, watching wrestling videos to stay focused. Coach Dahiya noted the added tension due to Vinesh’s earlier disqualification, stressing the importance of not missing another medal opportunity.

All the strenuous effort paid off when Aman clinched the bronze medal on Friday, defeating Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz. This victory made him India's youngest Olympic medallist, marking a remarkable achievement in his career.