Hyderabad: The Paris 2024 Olympics marked a defining essay in India’s sporting history, with the Indian contingent producing one of the most stellar performances to date, making the 'City of Light' shine brighter with India’s colours. As the year draws to a close, it's time to celebrate the moments that made the world take notice of India's sporting prowess, especially at the grandest stage -- The Olympics.
From record-breaking medal hauls to trailblazing debuts, Paris 2024 was a sheer display of resilience, determination, and the power of dreams. With a contingent of 117 athletes, the second most for the country, supported by 140 officials and staff, India competed in 16 disciplines, fighting for glory in 69 medal events.
Presenting you India, the Bronze Medalist at the Paris Olympics 2024. #Hockey #Bronze #HockeyIndia #MedalCeremony#HockeyIndia #Paris2024 #parisolympics2024 @CMO_Odisha @DilipTirkey @FIH_Hockey @IndiaSports @JioCinema @WeAreTeamIndia @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/znaklPzXZG
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 8, 2024
Despite falling short of surpassing their Tokyo Olympics 2020 tally of 7 medals, India returned home with immense pride and six medals—one silver and five bronze—making it their third-best performance at the Summer Games after Tokyo 2020 and London 2012.
🦁🔥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘!
— Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia) August 9, 2024
👉 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 @sportwalkmedia 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰!@Media_SAI @WeAreTeamIndia @Paris2024
📸 Pics belong to the respective… pic.twitter.com/x11m4kECie
A Glimpse at the Medal Haul
India’s six-medal haul included a silver from Tokyo Olympics 2020 gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, in javelin throw and five bronze medals spread across shooting (3), hockey (1), and wrestling (1). The achievements underscored the growing competitiveness and the hard work, perseverance and dedication of Indian athletes on the global stage.
🥉 Heartfelt congratulations to @realmanubhaker for clinching the bronze medal in shooting at the Paris Olympics! You’ve made history by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. #Paris2024 || #Olympics || @Media_SAI || @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/9g9Y4qxmQK
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) July 28, 2024
Neeraj Chopra: A Silver That Gleamed Like Gold
The nation's star javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, once again made headlines this year. Competing under immense pressure as the defending Olympic champion, Chopra delivered his second-best career throw of 89.45m despite suffering from a groin injury. However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem claimed the gold with a record-breaking throw of 92.97m. Despite settling for silver, Chopra etched his name in history as the second Indian to win two individual Olympic medals in athletics.
BRONZE MEDAL FOR INDIA! 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
— 🕉️ 𝕄𝕒𝕕𝕙𝕦𝕊𝕍𝕠𝕚𝕔𝕖 🚩 (@MadhuSVoice) July 30, 2024
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh win Bronze in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team! 🔥💥
Second medal for India at Paris, Manu Bhaker's second! 💙💙
India's pride soars high! Congrats to our champions!🙌👏#Paris2024 #Olympics @Media_SAI @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/g4CNYm0Xnm
Manu Bhaker’s Historic Feats in Shooting
Manu Bhaker emerged as a standout performer for India as she created history as the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting. She clinched bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event and then secured the bronze medal, teaming up with Sarabjot Singh in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, the pair became the first Indian duo to win a shooting medal in the Olympics. Manu also became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single Olympics. But Manu Bhaker missed the opportunity to bag the third bronze medal in the single edition of the Olympics after she finished fourth in the women's 50m air pistol shooting event.
India's star shooter Manu Bhaker has etched her name in history by clinching her second bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. @realmanubhaker @mansukhmandviya @IndiaSports @MIB_India @PIB_India@DDNewslive @DDIndialive @AkashvaniAIR @Media_SAI#Paris2024 #Cheer4Bharat… pic.twitter.com/K8tbXbjh1e
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) July 30, 2024
Swapnil Kusale added to India’s success in shooting by claiming bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions, making Paris 2024 India's best-ever Olympics in shooting with three medals.
Hockey’s Resurgence
Indian hockey continued its revival with the men’s team securing a second bronze medal on the trot. In a hard-fought battle, India defeated Spain 2-1, securing back-to-back Olympic hockey medals for the first time since 1972. This triumph also marked India’s record-extending 13th Olympic hockey medal, the most by a team playing hockey.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s 10 goals, Jarmanpreet Singh's assists, Amit Rohidas' rushes and veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh’s stellar saves were instrumental in India’s campaign. The team’s triumph against Australia in the group stage—India’s first Olympic win against them since 1972 and on the synthetic court—was another highlight. However, the Paris Olympics 2024 will also be remembered for Sreejesh's retirement from international hockey.
Wrestling’s Mixed Fortunes
Wrestler Aman Sehrawat bagged a bronze in the men’s freestyle 57 kg category, continuing India’s tradition of winning medals in wrestling at the Olympics.
However, the sport also delivered more heartbreaking moments for India than happiness. Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, was disqualified from her gold medal match for weighing 100 grams more than the prescribed weight category.
Apart from them, Nisha Dahiya had a great outing and looked set to secure a semifinal berth in the women’s wrestling 68kg division in her debut Olympic Games. She had scored a come-from-behind victory in her pre-quarterfinal against Ukraine’s Sova Rizhko 6-4 after trailing 1-4 at half-time and but failed to clinch a medal after sustaining an injury during the match.
Notable Performances and New Milestones
While some athletes missed out on medals, their performances pushed Indian sports to new heights:
1. Archery: The duo of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat secured India’s best-ever finish in archery, reaching the semi-finals in the mixed team event and narrowly missing a bronze medal.
2. Badminton: Lakshya Sen became the first Indian male shuttler to reach the semi-finals at the Olympics, showcasing immense talent despite finishing fourth.
3. Table Tennis: Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula became the first Indian paddlers to reach the pre-quarterfinals.
4. Athletics: The largest Indian contingent in athletics delivered strong performances, with Chopra leading the way and several athletes achieving personal bests.
Challenges and Heartbreaks
Despite these successes, the Paris Olympics also highlighted areas of improvement:
Disqualification Disappointments: Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification underscored the importance of meticulous preparation in weight-based events.
Near Misses: Medal favourites like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lakshya Sen failed to finish on the podium despite reaching closer to the finishing line. They need to find a way to thrive in pressure situations and win those crucial moments in the match.
Limited Podium Finishes: Competing in 69 medal events, India secured medals in only six, reflecting the need for greater depth and consistency across sports.
Need Of Experience: Indian athletes like Deepika Kumari, Achanta Sharath Kamal, and Tarundeep Rain need to use their experience to their best.
A Year of Records
- Paris 2024 was a year of records for India:
- First-ever three medals in shooting at a single Olympics.
- Neeraj Chopra’s dual Olympic medals cemented his status as a national hero.
- Manu Bhaker’s two-medal feat, a first for any Indian athlete in a single edition post-independence.
- Back-to-back hockey medals, a feat last achieved over 50 years ago.
- Third biggest medal tally in Olympic history.
As the curtains fall on Paris 2024, the focus shifts to nurturing talent and building on the momentum. With dedication, strategic planning, and investment, India can aim for an even brighter performance at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
