India’s Aman Sehrawat clinched the men’s freestyle 57kg gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating North Korea’s reigning world champion Han Chong Song 11-7 in a dramatic final on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Indian wrestler produced a stunning late comeback after Han overturned an early deficit and moved 7-6 ahead. Sehrawat responded when it mattered most, scoring four points with a crucial move before adding another point after North Korea’s unsuccessful challenge to seal the victory.
Aman Sehrawat stages dramatic comeback
Sehrawat started the final strongly and built a 6-1 advantage with a series of attacking moves. Han then fought back with six quick points to take a 7-6 lead and put the Indian under pressure.
With less than a minute remaining, Sehrawat found the opening he needed. He executed a move that earned him four points and regained the lead. Another point followed after Han’s unsuccessful challenge, taking the score to 11-7. Sehrawat then defended his advantage to complete the gold-medal victory.
Sehrawat’s road to the final
The Indian wrestler had produced an impressive run earlier in the competition. He opened his campaign with a victory over Japan’s Yamato Ogawa before defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurdanat Aitanov in the quarterfinal.
In the semifinal, Sehrawat overcame Tajikistan’s Aiaal Belolyubskii 14-8. He had trailed 2-6 after the opening period but scored 12 points in the second to complete another comeback and book his place in the final.
Second Asian Games medal for Sehrawat
The gold medal marks Sehrawat’s second Asian Games medal. He had previously won bronze in the same 57kg category at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. The Indian wrestler is also a Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist. His latest triumph upgrades his Asian Games medal from bronze to gold.
Sehrawat’s victory also gives India its second freestyle wrestling gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Games after Sujeet Kalkal won the men’s 65kg title on Friday.
Han Chong Song was reigning world champion
Sehrawat faced a major challenge in the final in the form of Han Chong Song, who entered the bout as the reigning world champion in the 57kg category. United World Wrestling also listed Han as the world champion at 57kg ahead of the Asian Games.
The victory therefore completed a memorable comeback for Sehrawat, who held his nerve in the closing stages to secure India another wrestling gold medal at the Asian Games.
