Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian launched Athlos, a groundbreaking track event in New York City, celebrating women’s track and field with a star-studded lineup, record-breaking performances, and a focus on equality in pay. The event showcased the world’s best female athletes, including Gabby Thomas and Megan Thee Stallion, and highlighted the need for greater recognition and compensation for women in sports.
The Diamond League, a prestigious annual multi-sport event, has announced a significant increase in prize money for the 2025 season, reaching a record-breaking $9 million. This move signifies a major investment in athletes and aims to further enhance the competition’s appeal.
Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic javelin champion, ended his 2024 season with a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, showcasing incredible resilience despite battling injuries. While he fell short of his own expectations, he consistently performed at the top level throughout the year, a testament to his determination. However, the overall performance of the Indian track and field contingent at the Paris Games was underwhelming, with only Avinash Sable joining Chopra in reaching a final. This article delves into the highs and lows of Indian athletics in 2024, analyzing the challenges and the potential for improvement in the coming year.
India’s Paralympic medal hopes are pinned on track and field athletes Simran, Navdeep, and Dilip Mahadu Gavit, who will compete in their respective finals on Day 10 of the Paris Paralympics. Para cyclists Arshad Shaik and Jyoti Gaderiya are also set to compete in their medal rounds.
Double Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will not be able to compete in the Diamond League Finals in Brussels. Despite receiving an invitation, she doesn’t meet the eligibility criteria as she hasn’t participated in any regular Diamond League events this season. The Diamond League’s CEO Petr Stastny clarified that the rules apply to all athletes and require either point accumulation or participation in a regular-season event to be eligible for a wildcard.
India has surpassed its previous medal haul at the Tokyo Paralympics with a stellar performance on Day 7 of the Paris Paralympics, securing 20 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze). The country’s track and field athletes continued their dominance, securing five medals on Tuesday alone, including a bronze for Deepti Jeevanji in the women’s 400m (T20) event and silver and bronze for Sharad Kumar and Mariyappan Thangavelu in the T63 high jump finals.
Indian athlete Deepthi Jeevanji secured a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 final at the Paris Paralympics 2024, finishing with a time of 55.82 seconds. This makes her the second Indian athlete to win a track event medal at the Paralympics.
Costa Rican sprinter Sherman Guity claimed victory in the men’s T64 100m race at the Paralympics, shattering the Paralympic record with a time of 10.65 seconds. The race saw a fierce competition among the world’s fastest amputee sprinters, with Guity ultimately emerging victorious.
India’s Paralympic contingent continues to shine at the Paris Games. Nitesh Kumar, inspired by fellow para shuttler Pramod Bhagat and cricketer Virat Kohli, reached the badminton SL3 final after a grueling battle. Preethi Pal etched her name in history as the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paralympics, while Sumit Antil looks to defend his gold medal in the Javelin Throw F64 event.
India’s Paralympic contingent achieved significant milestones on Sunday, with Preethi Pal becoming the first Indian woman to secure two medals in a single Paralympics. Nishad Kumar claimed his second consecutive silver in the men’s high jump, while Indian badminton players secured multiple medals. However, the shooting team faced disappointment with Avani Lekhara and Sidhartha Babu failing to qualify for the finals.
