Japan’s Rei Higuchi celebrates after defeating India’s Aman Aman in their men’s freestyle 57kg semifinal wrestling match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japan’s Higuchi Rei got the better of Aman in the semifinal of the Men’s 57kg freestyle event in Paris. The Indian wrestler will fight for a bronze medal.
Indian wrestler Aman Sherawat was beaten 0-10 by Japanese grappler Higuchi Rei in the semifinal of the Men’s 57kg freestyle event in Paris 2024 on Thursday.
The Indian wrestler will now look to finish his campaign off with a bronze medal following repechage protocol.
Aman, who had raised hopes of securing a place in the final following two big victories against celebrated opponents in the earlier rounds, was no match for the 28-year-old Higuchi — the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist — as the Japanese toyed with the Indian to stamp his technical superiority with a 10-0 win in just over two minutes.
Higuchi’s superior technique was evident in the first few seconds when he attacked Aman’s legs to take a 4-0 lead.
The Japanese, a former world champion in 2022 at Belgrade in the 61kg category, kept up the pressure on the Indian, targeting Aman’s legs and effecting regular throw downs with ease to garner six more points to end the contest.
Aman had earlier rekindled the country’s hopes, demolishing former world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania by technical superiority to seal a place in the semifinal.
Aman was in imperious form as he toyed with Abakarov in the second round. Aman locked the opponent’s legs at the start of the second round and flipped him over multiple times to earn eight straight points to secure a 12-0 victory.
The bout started with Aman earing a passivity point after his Russian-turned-Albanian opponent did not initiate any attacking move.
Moments later, the Indian effected a left-leg hold to earn two more points to showcase his dominance by going 3-0 up at the end of round 1.
Aman was on song in round 2 and Abakarov, world champion in 2022, bore the brunt. The Indian’s superb agility against the 31-year-old Albanian was on display as he attacked the left leg to bring him down.
He then effected a ‘fitley’ (leg lace), turning the Albanian around several times to end the contest with more than two minutes to go.
Abakarov contested the last two points awarded to Aman but the referee ruled in favour of the Indian and awarded him a point.
Aman’s pre-quarterfinal round was also a cakewalk as he ensured an easy passage into the last-eight with a dominating performance against North Macedonian rival Vladimir Egorov.
Aman, an Asian Championship gold medallist and the only male wrestler from the country to qualify for the Olympics, was amazingly agile as he kept his defence intact while regularly overpowering his 29-year-old former European champion with leg holds to win the bout on technical superiority (10-0).
Egorov seemed to be in a bit of bother after the first round, requiring medical attention on his knee following Aman’s all-out attack.
But the Macedonian could not stage a comeback with Aman effecting a takedown to earn two more points and go 10-0 up with more than two minutes remaining on the clock.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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Read More: Paris 2024: Aman Sherawat Goes Down to Rei Higuchi in Semifinal, Indian Eyes Bronze – News18
