India's Paris 2024 Chronicles
From Majestic Moments to Narrow Misses
The Maha Kumbh of sports, the Olympics, wrapped up in Paris on 11 August 2024. India's performance this time around was reminiscent of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Back in Tokyo, India shone with 7 medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze). In the recently concluded Paris 2024, India brought home 6 medals (1 silver and 5 bronze). Notably, India also gave tough challenge to competitors in several events, narrowly missing the podium with a few fourth-place finishes. Let's dive into the stories of the athletes who made India proud this time!
Sport Player Medal
Javelin Throw Neeraj Chopra Silver
Shooting Manu Bhaker (Individual)
Manu Bhaker
Sarabjot Singh
Bronze
Bronze
Bronze
Hockey Team India Bronze
Wrestling Aman Sehrawat Bronze
Shooting Swapnil Kusale Bronze
Neeraj Chopra: The Spear of India's Olympic Dreams
Before the Tokyo Olympics 2020, India had never tasted victory in the javelin throw. But then came Neeraj Chopra, the Indian Army officer who stunned the world with an 87.58 meter throw, securing India's first-ever gold in track and field. His fierce rival, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, claimed the silver, setting the stage for an intense rivalry.
Fast forward to the Paris Olympics and all eyes were on Neeraj to strike gold again. Though the final wasn't his best day, Neeraj still made India proud, launching his javelin 89.45 meters to win the silver.
Neeraj's trophy cabinet is nothing short of spectacular. He's bagged golds at the Olympics, World Athletics Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Championships, not to mention the prestigious Diamond League title. His Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 made him the first and only Indian track and field athlete to reach such heights.
His relentless dedication paid off yet again when he topped the podium at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, becoming India's first-ever World Champion in any athletics sport.
Manu Bhaker: India's Sharpshooter Who Keeps Hitting the Bull's-eye!
Shooting stole the spotlight for India at the Paris Olympics 2024 and Manu Bhaker was right at the center of the action. She didn't just keep the hopes alive- she made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics. Manu snagged two medals, but it was a close call in the women's singles 10m air pistol competition where she missed the silver by just 0.1 points! A bittersweet finish, but it's still an achievement for someone who had narrowly missed the podium in Tokyo 2020, finishing fourth.
Manu's journey with the pistol began when she was just 14 and she's been hitting the bull's-eye ever since. Back in 2017, she stunned everyone at the National Shooting Championship by setting a new record with a score of 242.3, outshooting Olympian and former world number-1 Heena Sidhu in the 10m air pistol final. That was just the beginning.
After clinching her Olympic 2024 medals, Bhaker reflected on the pressure, saying, "I put all my effort till the last moment to stay in that moment, just did not give up and kept trying continuously. The whole final was stressful and I knew that I had to handle myself and not do anything that I would not normally do."
And she didn't stop there. Teaming up with Sarabjot Singh, she added a bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed event. With these triumphs, India matched its medal tally in shooting with that of London 2012 Olympics, showing that the country's aim is sharper than ever.
From Toy Guns to Olympic Glory: Sarabjot Singh's Sharp Shooting Success
As soon as Manu Bhaker clinched her medal in the 10m Air Pistol Singles, India's hopes soared for another in the Mixed event, where she teamed up with Sarabjot Singh. Together, they made history by defeating South Korea's Lee Wonho and O Ye Jin 16-10, securing India's second medal at the Olympics.
Sarabjot's journey into shooting began with toy guns, though he initially dreamed of being a footballer. His career took off with a gold at the 2019 Junior World Championships. He continued to shine with a team gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and an individual bronze at the 2023 Asian Championships, proving he's a force to reckon with on the global stage.
Swapnil Kusale: The Marksman Making History in Paris
Swapnil Kusale has carved his name in history as the first Indian shooter to win a medal in the 50m rifle 3 position event at the Olympics, snagging a bronze in the Paris 2024 Games. His journey to glory started back in 2015 when he won gold in the 50m rifle prone 3 event in the junior category at the Asian Shooting Championships in Kuwait.
Swapnil's bronze adds to India's legacy in rifle shooting, following Abhinav Bindra's gold in the men's 10m air rifle at Beijing 2008 and Gagan Narang's bronze in the same event at London 2012.
Reflecting on his Olympics moment, Kusale shared, "There are a lot of emotions in my mind right now. This medal means a lot. It is not gold, but I am happy that I got the medal. It is a dream to get an Olympic medal."
This isn't his first time outshining the competition; he also triumphed at the 59th National Shooting Championship in Tughlakabad, beating Olympic medallists Gagan Narang and Chain Singh in the 50m rifle prone event. Kusale's sharp aim and dedication continue to make India proud on the world stage.
PR Sreejesh's Last Stand as India's Hockey 'Wall' Brings Home the Bronze
In the golden days of Major Dhyanchand, if hockey gold was on the line, it was as good as India's, no matter who the opponents were. When the quest for hockey glory had left India yearning for that world-class sparkle, enter
PR Sreejesh in 2006, a game-changer from the South Asian Games in Sri Lanka. Dubbed the 'Wall of the Goal Post,' Sreejesh's impenetrable defence turned the hockey field into a fortress.
Paris 2024 marked his final Olympic bow and his teammates ensured he went out in style, clinching the bronze medal to give him a fitting farewell. With Sreejesh guarding the goal, opposing teams faced a tough challenge. Ever since his debut, Sreejesh has been a stalwart of the Indian hockey team, weathering many changes but always remaining the bedrock of the squad. His legacy includes a memorable bronze from the Tokyo Olympics, adding another chapter to his storied career and making the entire nation smile.
Harmanpreet Singh: The Drag Flick Maestro of Indian Hockey
As captain and drag flick maestro, Harmanpreet Singh has become India's top goal scorer in hockey. Known for his lethal penalty corners and rock-solid defence, Harmanpreet led India to an Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020 and struck gold at the Asian Games 2023. His journey to the top began at the senior level when he scored his first goal for India during the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2016.
Harmanpreet's remarkable skills earned him a spot in the Olympic squad for the Rio 2016 Games. He later played a pivotal role in securing a silver medal for India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, finishing as the second-highest goal scorer with 9 goals. After netting over 150 goals in nearly 200 matches, Harmanpreet was entrusted with the captaincy of the Indian hockey team for the Hockey World Cup in January 2023.
With a flick of his stick and a fierce determination, Harmanpreet Singh continues to make waves on the global hockey stage, leading by example and scoring his way into the record books.
Aman Sehrawat: The Young Lion of Freestyle Wrestling
Imagine facing your idol in a high-stakes match and coming out on top-Aman Sehrawat did just that! To earn his ticket to the Paris Olympics, he went head-to-head with none other than Ravi Kumar Dahiya, the Tokyo 2020 silver medalist and pulled off a stunning upset. This victory not only secured his place in the Olympics but also set the stage for his own medal hopes-and he delivered.
At just 21 years and 24 days old, Aman set a new record, becoming India's youngest Olympic medalist, surpassing PV Sindhu's mark from Rio 2016. In the bronze medal match, Aman confirmed his place on the podium with a commanding 13-5 win over Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz.
But Aman's path wasn't all smooth sailing. In the semifinals, he faced a tough challenge from Japan's top-seeded wrestler and Rio 2016 silver medalist, Rei Higuchi, losing 0-10. Despite the setback, Aman bounced back to claim his well-deserved medal, proving that even when the odds are against him, he's a force to be reckoned with.
Vinesh Phogat: Wrestling Wonder
Vinesh Phogat, India's wrestling dynamo and a true medal magnet. Vinesh was on a roll, weaving through opponents like a wrestling maestro and left everyone gasping when she toppled the world number one Japanese wrestler with a dazzling display of skill in the semi-finals.
A two-time Olympian and a Commonwealth Games legend with three gold medals to her name, Vinesh also boasts two bronze medals from the World Championships and a gold from the Asian Games. She's the reigning Asian Champion and a force to be reckoned with.
But, in a twist of fate as dramatic as her moves on the mat, Vinesh was disqualified just before the final as she was found 100 grams over the weight limit. Despite this hiccup, Vinesh remains an enigma and a champion in our hearts.
India's Fourth-Place Finishers Who Almost Turned the Bronze Tide
1. Archery: B. Dheeraj and Ankita's arrow-sharp dreams were deflected by the US in the mixed event.
2. Badminton: In a historic first, India went home empty-handed from the badminton courts. Lakshya Sen gave it his all, but a Malaysian player proved a tad too slippery, sending him to the fourth spot.
3. Shooting: Arjun took aim but missed a medal by the narrowest of margins, finishing fourth in the 10-meter air pistol final. A slight misfire on the podium, but he still hit the mark with his performance.
4. Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu, the powerhouse of weightlifting, came heartbreakingly close to a medal, lifting a whopping 199 kg but falling just one kg short. It's a tough break for the silver medalist from Tokyo, but her strength and spirit are still shining bright.
Despite the near misses, each athlete showcased incredible talent and determination and we'll be cheering them on to turn those fourth-place blues into golden glory next time!
Compiled by Sudhit Mishra, EN Team