India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics concluded with an impressive haul of six medals, just one shy of the nation’s record at Tokyo 2020. This marks India’s third most successful outing at the Summer Games, following the achievements in Tokyo 2020 and London 2012.
Indian athletes showcased their talents across 16 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, wrestling, table tennis, and tennis. The athletics contingent was the largest, with 29 athletes, while the shooting team saw its biggest representation ever, with 21 shooters.
While the pursuit of medals was paramount, Indian athletes also set new benchmarks during these Games. Below is a detailed account of the records set by Indian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra Continues His Olympic Legacy
Neeraj Chopra delivered a remarkable performance in the javelin throw at Paris 2024, achieving his second-best career throw of 89.45 meters. Despite this, he finished with a silver medal, as Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters.
Chopra’s silver was significant, as it marked only the second athletics medal for India at the Summer Games, both of which he had won. He joined the ranks of Norman Pritchard, Sushil Kumar, PV Sindhu, and Manu Bhaker as India’s fifth two-time Olympic medallist.
Manu Bhaker Makes History in Shooting
Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal, securing a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event on July 28. The day before, she became the first Indian woman since Athens 2004 to qualify for the Olympic shooting finals, setting the stage for her historic achievement.
A First for India in Team Shooting
In a landmark moment, Manu Bhaker, paired with Sarabjot Singh, clinched India’s first-ever Olympic medal in team shooting in Paris 2024. The duo won bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, defeating South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin and Wonho Lee 16-10 in the bronze medal match. This victory marked India’s sixth Olympic medal in shooting overall.
Manu Bhaker Achieves Dual Success
Manu Bhaker’s achievements didn’t stop with a single medal. She became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in one edition of the Olympics, following her success in both the individual 10m air pistol event and the mixed team event. Norman Pritchard was the only other Indian to have achieved this feat, back in Paris in 1900.
India Sets a New Medal Benchmark in a Single Sport
On August 1, Swapnil Kusale added to India’s medal tally by winning bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. This brought India’s total medals in shooting at Paris 2024 to three, marking the first time India won three medals in a single sport at any Olympic Games. This was also the country’s first-ever Olympic medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions.
Indian Hockey Team Secures Back-to-Back Medals
The Indian men’s hockey team achieved a historic feat by winning back-to-back Olympic medals for the first time in 52 years. They defeated Spain 2-1 to secure the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This victory, held at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, extended India’s record to 13 Olympic hockey medals.
Harmanpreet Singh was India’s top scorer at Paris 2024, with 10 goals, while PR Sreejesh played a crucial role as the goalkeeper, capping off his international career with a bronze medal.
Victory Over Australia Ends a Long Wait
In a thrilling group stage match, the Indian men’s hockey team defeated Australia 3-2, marking their first victory against Australia in Olympic hockey since Munich in 1972. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s brace was instrumental in this win, which also helped India finish second in their pool.
Best-ever Olympic Finish in Archery
Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat delivered India’s best-ever Olympic result in archery, finishing fourth in the mixed-team event. They narrowly missed out on a historic podium finish, losing to the USA’s Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold 6-2 in the bronze medal match. Despite the loss, their performance marked the first time India reached the semi-finals in any archery event at the Olympics.
Lakshya Sen Breaks New Ground in Badminton
Lakshya Sen made history as the first Indian male shuttler to reach the semi-finals of a badminton event at the Olympics. Competing in men’s singles, he topped his group and defeated strong opponents, including Jonatan Christie and HS Prannoy, before eventually losing to defending champion Viktor Axelsen in the semi-finals and Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match.
Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula Achieve Milestones in Table Tennis
Manika Batra became the first Indian table tennis player to reach the pre-quarterfinals at the Olympics, advancing after defeating France’s Prithika Pavade in the round of 32. Although her campaign ended in the pre-quarterfinals against Japan’s Miu Hirano, she made history with her performance.
Sreeja Akula, making her Olympic debut, also reached the round of 16, where she faced Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Sun Yingsha. Akula’s journey ended there, but not before she had made her mark by advancing past Sweden’s Christina Kallberg and Singapore’s Zeng Jian.
Conclusion
India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics was marked by historic achievements and record-breaking performances across various sports. From Neeraj Chopra’s continued excellence in athletics to Manu Bhaker’s groundbreaking success in shooting, and from the Indian hockey team’s back-to-back medals to Lakshya Sen’s pioneering journey in badminton, Indian athletes have once again showcased their resilience and talent on the world stage. These milestones not only reflect the growth of Indian sports but also set a strong foundation for future successes at the Olympic Games.
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