The Paris Olympics 2024, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, will see India aiming to better its performance from the Tokyo Games where it secured one gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Several athletes are set to make their mark on the global stage, carrying the hopes of a nation.
Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion in men’s javelin throw, will be looking to defend his title. He created history in Tokyo 2020 with a throw of 87.58m, becoming the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win gold at the Summer Games. Since then, he has achieved remarkable feats, including becoming the World and Diamond League champion and defending his Asian Games gold. He has a massive personal best of 89.94m and his best throw this year, achieved in Doha, is 88.36m.
Nikhat Zareen, the reigning world and Commonwealth champion in women’s 50kg boxing category, will be a strong contender for a medal. Her bronze medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year secured her spot for Paris. Lovlina Borgohain, who won bronze in the women’s 64-69kg category in Tokyo, has shifted to the middleweight category and won the world championship title at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2023 in New Delhi. Her silver medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou also secured her qualification for Paris.
India’s recent success in badminton has been driven by the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. They played a crucial role in India’s historic Thomas Cup triumph in 2022. Their consistency on the BWF World Tour has seen them win titles from Super 100 to Super 1000 level, achieve a World Championships bronze, an Asian Games gold, Asian Championships title, and the coveted World No. 1 ranking. P. V. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, has won silver in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and bronze in Tokyo 2020. Despite an ankle injury sustained during the Commonwealth Games in 2022, Sindhu is determined to make another strong run at the Olympics, drawing strength from her experience and training under Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone.
Antim Panghal, a world championships bronze medalist, is seeded fourth in the 53kg category at the Paris Olympics. She is a two-time World under-20 champion and has also clinched a silver medal in her senior Asian championships debut. Her bronze medal at the World Championships in Belgrade made her the first Indian wrestler to grab a quota for Paris. She is hoping to make a strong impact in the upcoming Games.
Rohan Bopanna and N. Sriram Balaji are poised to compete in the men’s doubles event in Paris, aiming for India’s second Olympic medal in tennis. Bopanna, a seasoned veteran, has had a phenomenal year, winning his first-ever men’s doubles Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and becoming the oldest male to achieve this feat. He also became the third Indian man to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in doubles. Bopanna and Balaji, both doubles specialists, are comfortable playing on clay, making them strong contenders at Roland-Garros, the venue for the French Open and the tennis event at the Paris Olympics.
Mirabai Chanu, the silver medalist from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, will be one of India’s biggest hopes in the women’s 49kg weightlifting category. Despite a major injury sustained at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, she has made an inspiring comeback and is training rigorously for Paris.
The Indian men’s hockey team, after ending a 41-year wait for an Olympic medal by winning bronze in Tokyo 2021, is looking to make another strong showing in Paris. Under coach Craig Fulton and skipper Harmanpreet Singh, the team has strengthened its defense, winning the Asian Champions Trophy and securing a spot for Paris by winning gold at the Asian Games. With a tough group consisting of New Zealand, Ireland, Belgium, Argentina, and Australia, the team is aiming for a podium finish.
Sift Kaur Samra, a 22-year-old shooter, has emerged as a strong contender after setting a new world record at the Asian Games. Her impressive performance in the selection trials for the Olympics signifies her readiness for the big stage.
India’s Olympic contingent in Paris 2024 is a mix of experienced veterans and promising newcomers, all determined to achieve glory for the nation. The Games promise to be an exciting spectacle as these athletes strive to bring home medals and create history.
