Olympic medal changed my life but I have already forgotten it: Wrestler Aman Sehrawat

Lucknow, Aug 5 (PTI) The Paris Olympics success took a lot of burden off Aman Sehrawat's shoulders but the young wrestler says he has already forgotten his bronze-medal feat, as sitting on past laurels won't let him chase bigger dreams.

Orphaned at a tender age, life has not been a bed of roses for the Birohar-born wrestler. His paternal uncle supported him wholeheartedly but family responsibilities did weigh on Aman's mind.

His bronze-winning show in Paris last year brought recognition and money that made his life easy, as Aman carried on the country's tradition of bringing home a medal in wrestling from every Olympic Games since 2008.

"The Olympic medal changed my life 90 per cent. No one knew me before. I would not be noticed anywhere, but after the Paris success, people began to know me, respect me. I felt I did something for the country and the hard work of 10-15 years has paid off," Aman told PTI after winning the 57kg selection trials for the World Championships.

"An Olympic medal is God's blessing. I was not even expected to win. Expectations were higher from the women wrestlers. Ye to prasad hi hai bhagwaan ka (This is God's gift).

"It motivated me as well. People are now expecting gold from me. I have already forgotten my bronze medals; I can't settle for that and say I have achieved enough. Now I am preparing for gold." Elaborating how success at the highest level had changed his life, the soft-spoken wrestler said, "I can buy whatever I want now." "There was pressure that in future I need to get my younger sister educated and get her married. Now I can practice with a free mind; I don't need to worry about money.

"It's not that we were not taken care of. My uncle has always supported us, but you do think about the responsibility of being an elder brother." As an individual, Aman hasn't changed much. Rather he is now more cautious about making decisions, being an Olympic medallist.

He attributed his absence from the mat for a considerable time to several reasons, including injury.

Aman has competed in only two tournaments since the Paris Games. He consciously missed the senior Asian Championship.

"After the Olympics, I thought I will train abroad but things do not always go as you expect. Then I got injured also.

"The fear of losing after winning an Olympic medal also weighed on me. I thought, If I lose people would say success has spoilt me. So, coaches said you are at a different level and need to be at your best to take the mat.

"I could have easily managed the Indian competitors (in trials) but the rivals from other countries were stronger. I need to be at my best before I compete. I felt I was not in perfect shape, and I was advised by the coaches to prepare for the World Championships only." On his comeback, Aman competed in the Ulaanbataar Open in Mongolia in June and settled for a bronze, losing to Mexico's Roman Bravo-Young in the semifinals.

Indian wrestlers are stronger and not expected to lose against Mexican rivals. But Aman said he would take the defeat in his stride.

"I lost a close bout to a Mexican, I was not ready. Though I fought a good bout, I lost because of my own mistakes, not that he beat me hands down.

"I was competing after one year, it takes time to get mat sharpness. I could not wrestler the way I wanted to." Aman emphasised the need to go on exposure and training trips abroad to spar with better partners.

"We need to go for exposure trips, especially to Russia and USA, who are better than us." PTI AT AM AM AM AM