Asian Games: Aman Sehrawat Stuns World Champion to Win 57kg Wrestling Gold

The victory at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre made Sehrawat the first Indian wrestler to win an Asian Games gold in the men's 57kg freestyle category.

Sehrawat appeared to be in control after opening up a 6-1 advantage, but Han mounted a strong comeback and moved ahead 7-6 after collecting three successive two-point scores.

With the bout entering its final stages, Sehrawat responded with a decisive takedown before adding another two points from a roll to move back in front. Han challenged the scoring, but the appeal was unsuccessful and instead resulted in an additional point for the Indian, giving him an 11-7 lead.

Sehrawat then defended his advantage during the final 30 seconds to complete a memorable victory over the reigning world champion.

The gold adds to an already impressive international record for the 23-year-old wrestler, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and another bronze at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. He has now upgraded his Asian Games medal to gold.

Sehrawat began his campaign with a 20-9 technical superiority victory over Japan's Yamato Ogawa before defeating Kazakhstan's Nurdanat Aitanov 12-1 in the quarterfinals.

His semifinal against Tajikistan's Aiaal Belolyubskii proved considerably tougher. Sehrawat trailed 2-6 after the opening period but produced a remarkable turnaround in the second, scoring 12 points while conceding only two to win 14-8.

The victory gave India its second men's freestyle wrestling gold of the Games. Earlier, Sujeet Kalkal ended the country's wait for a wrestling gold by overcoming Tajikistan's Abdulmazhid Kudiyev 10-9 in the 65kg final.

Kalkal was trailing 2-9 for much of the contest but launched a late surge, scoring eight unanswered points in the closing stages to complete a dramatic comeback.

The two victories mark India's first two gold medals in the men's freestyle wrestling category at an Asian Games since 1978.