India won six medals – 1 silver and 5 bronze – at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Indian contingent, consisting of 117 athletes, competed across various sports from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and showcased incredible performances. Let’s dive into the details of India’s Olympic journey in 2024.
India’s Medal Breakdown at Paris 2024
India’s six medals at the 2024 Olympics came from a mix of sports, with shooting, hockey, and wrestling leading the way. Here’s a breakdown of the medals:
Silver Medal:
- Neeraj Chopra – Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra added another feather to his cap by winning a silver in the javelin throw, making him the most successful individual Olympian for India.
Bronze Medals:
- Manu Bhaker – Shooting: Manu Bhaker won India’s first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, claiming a bronze in shooting. She also made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal.
- Manu Bhaker & Sarabjot Singh – Shooting: Manu Bhaker continued her success by clinching another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event with Sarabjot Singh.
- Swapnil Kusale – Shooting: India’s biggest shooting success at a single Olympic edition came with Swapnil Kusale’s bronze in shooting, completing a trio of shooting medals for India.
- Indian Men’s Hockey Team – Hockey: The men’s hockey team matched their success at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with another bronze at the Paris Games.
- Aman Sehrawat – Wrestling: Aman Sehrawat became India’s youngest Olympic medalist, winning a bronze in wrestling.
Historic Moments and Heartbreaks
While India’s Olympic performance in 2024 was historic, there were also moments of near-misses and heartbreaks. Several athletes narrowly missed out on medals, finishing in fourth place in their respective events. This includes:
- Lakshya Sen (Badminton)
- Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)
- Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
Moreover, Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification just before a historic final added to India’s disappointment.
Sports Involved in India’s 2024 Olympic Journey
Indian athletes competed in a wide range of sports at the Paris 2024 Olympics, including:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Boxing
- Equestrian
- Golf
- Hockey
- Judo
- Rowing
- Sailing
- Shooting
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
India’s participation across 69 events in 16 different sports showed the country’s growing Olympic presence, with hopes for even better performances in future games.
Notable Returning Olympians
India’s contingent in 2024 also featured athletes who had previously made their mark in earlier Olympic Games, including:
- Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw)
- PV Sindhu (Badminton)
- Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)
- Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing)
- Indian Men’s Hockey Team (Led by Harmanpreet Singh)
These athletes returned to the Olympics with the goal of repeating or improving on their past performances.
India’s Olympic History
With the six medals won in Paris, India’s total Olympic medal tally stands at 41 medals. This includes several milestones:
- Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in Paris 1900, opening India’s Olympic account.
- KD Jadhav won a bronze in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, becoming the first individual Olympic medalist from independent India.
- Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in 2000 (Sydney), with a bronze in weightlifting.
- Abhinav Bindra made history in 2008 (Beijing) as the first Indian to win an Olympic gold in an individual event.
India’s achievements in men’s hockey and wrestling have been particularly significant, with men’s hockey contributing 13 medals, including eight golds, and wrestling contributing eight medals.
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India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics was a mix of triumphs and near-misses, showing that the country is steadily becoming a strong contender on the world stage. With continued dedication and improvement, India hopes to perform even better in the future.
