Aman, Sujeet have big boots to fill
The youngsters will have the task of winning Paris quotas in weight classes in which India won two Olympic medals
The Commonwealth Games trials marked a moment of reckoning for Aman Sehrawat. Up against Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, he lost 10-0. For 20-year-old Aman, Dahiya is not only his sparring partner, but a mentor, guide, and an inspiration. The reason Aman, a parentless child, could dream of the Olympics was Dahiya.
As Aman started to grow in international wrestling, becoming U23 Asian and world champion in 2022, he knew his path would cross with Dahiya for a Paris Olympics quota in 57kg. But the CWG trials came as a jolt because of the manner he lost. Aman could not understand where he was lacking that he fought so badly.
He watched the replay of the trials and came to an important conclusion. That in his mind he was not fighting an opponent. “I am not that bad as the scores showed. I realised that I was not playing with a free mind. I was playing with the pressure of competing against an Olympic medallist. He was dictating the pace and I was simply getting drawn into his gameplan,” says Aman
At the Chhatrasal Stadium, Aman has grown up looking up to Dahiya, seven years older to him, and modelled his wrestling on him. Aman understood if he had to beat Dahiya he would have to strike down his revered image from his mind.
Since that day of May, 2022, Aman has watched the replay of that trial every day, even on Sunday before going to face Dahiya in the final of trials for Olympic qualifiers he saw that bout on his phone; just to keep reminding himself how not to fight against him. And he stopped sparring with Dahiya at the Chhatrasal Stadium.
“I have learnt a lot from Ravi. His power, technique, how he manages his bout. And he has shown us the way that if he can go on to win an Olympic medal even I can.”
“But beating him in the trials was not easy. Not even one day has gone by when I have not seen the replay of CWG trials, including today. I worked on my weaknesses as I cannot afford to repeat the mistakes. I stopped sparring with him. We were training with different partners. When you know you will face each other in trials, you would not want to spar with your opponent,” says Aman.
Their wrestling is similar. They keep themselves busy on the mat, constantly attacking and counter-attacking. That made for a thrilling high-scoring bout on Sunday, when Aman edged past Ravi and had his revenge 14-13. To give it to his mentor, Aman said he knew coming back from an injury is tough. “You know it is not easy when you have surgery and do not compete enough. Ravi gained weight after injury and it has taken him time to return to the mat.”
Having won the rights to compete in both Olympic qualifiers, Aman is aware of the responsibility. “I am going to prepare my best and win a quota. This weight class has given us some top wrestlers, Yogeshwar Dutt, Ravi Dahiya,” said the Asian Championships gold medallist.
Sujeet Kalkal will carry a similar burden on his young shoulders in 65kg. A weight class in Bajrang Punia made his own and dominated world wrestling and won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 22-year-old has shown spark in his fledgling career. Though he did not face Bajrang in the trials – he was taken out by Rohit -- Sujeet went about his job, composed and defeated Rohit by superiority in the final.
“I have been working on this trial for a long time. I won titles in National Games and National Championships. So, I kept giving myself small goals and prepared along the way for the trials. It kept me going,” says Sujeet.
His father Dayanand Kakal, a wrestling coach with the SAI, brought him into the sport. In his fledgling career, 22-year-old Sujeet has shown spark. He has defeated a world class wrestler in USA’s Yianni Diakomihalis and came close to beating Sebastain C Rivera, a silver medallist at world championships. In 2022 he won three consecutive international golds in a month -- the U23 Asian Championships, U20 Asian Championships, and a ranking series in Tunisia. He backs himself to win in international tournaments.
“This is a weight class where you need speed, stamina, strength, everything. I am young and still developing my strength and improving day by day. My game is technical like most international competitors. I have spent more time on the mat in my younger days.”
The technical prowess was to be seen the way Sujeet brought Rohit down in a fast, attacking move and applied the leg-lace to finish the final against Rohit in a jiffy.
I have learnt a lot from Ravi. His power, technique, how he manages his bout. And he has shown us the way that if he can go on to win an Olympic medal even I can
AMAN SEHRAWAT, wrestler