At the Paris 2024 Olympics, India secured six medals—one silver and five bronze—with notable performances from Manu Bhaker in shooting and Neeraj Chopra in javelin. Despite several near-misses and disqualifications impacting medal opportunities, the participation highlighted India’s growth across various sports. Historically, India has won 41 Olympic medals since its inception.
The Paris 2024 Olympics witnessed 117 Indian athletes striving for glory from July 26 to August 11. India concluded the games with a commendable tally of six medals, comprising one silver and five bronze. Manu Bhaker notably earned the first medal for India, securing bronze and making history as the first Indian woman to achieve an Olympic shooting medal. Additionally, Bhaker became the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic edition, clinching bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol alongside Sarabjot Singh.
Indian shooting had a standout performance, with Swapnil Kusale contributing to India’s historic haul in this sport. In hockey, the men’s team matched their previous success from Tokyo 2020 by attaining a bronze medal. Neeraj Chopra solidified his status as India’s most successful Olympian by securing silver in the javelin throw, while Aman Sehrawat emerged as the youngest Olympic medallist for India by winning bronze in wrestling.
Despite these successes, India experienced significant heartbreak, narrowly missing out on six additional medals. Athletes such as Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, and temporarily Manu Bhaker who was in contention for a third medal, finished just fourth in their respective events. Furthermore, Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification ahead of a pivotal final compounded India’s disappointment.
India had representation in 69 medal events across 16 sports, emphasizing a broad engagement in disciplines such as archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and tennis. Among the contingent were returning Olympic medallists, including Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, and members of the men’s hockey team led by Harmanpreet Singh.
Historically, India has accumulated 41 Olympic medals since its debut in 1900, starting with Norman Pritchard’s two silvers. KD Jadhav marked a milestone in 1952 as independent India’s first individual medalist with a wrestling bronze. Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in 2000, while Abhinav Bindra claimed gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a milestone not repeated until Neeraj’s triumph in 2020. Men’s hockey has been the largest contributor to India’s medal tally, succeeded closely by wrestling.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, India achieved its highest ever medal tally with seven, including one gold. As the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded, these accomplishments highlight the growth and potential of Indian athletes on the global stage.
In summary, India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics included a total of six medals, featuring remarkable achievements in shooting and wrestling. The nation’s athletes faced both triumphs and near misses, exemplifying their competitiveness across various sports. While the medal count signifies progress, the close calls also reflect the ongoing challenges that Indian sportsmen and women face in attaining Olympic success. Historical context reveals a promising future for Indian athletics as they look ahead to future competitions.
Original Source: www.olympics.com
