A contingent of 117 Indian athletes represented the nation at the Paris 2024 Olympics, held from July 26 to August 11. Despite immense effort and dedication, India secured six medals—one silver and five bronze—marking another chapter in its Olympic history.
Shooting Shines with Historic Achievements
Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting, claiming a bronze in the individual 10m air pistol event.
She continued her exceptional performance by partnering with Sarabjot Singh to secure another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event, making her the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic edition. Swapnil Kusale added another bronze in shooting, bringing India’s total in the sport to three—the highest-ever haul in a single Olympic edition for the country.
🚨 Manu Bhaker has won India’s first medal in Paris Olympics 2024. ✨
BRONZE 🥉 pic.twitter.com/Lkru5o6DIt
— Indian Tech & Infra (@IndianTechGuide) July 28, 2024
Hockey and Athletics Deliver on Expectations
The Indian men’s hockey team matched their Tokyo 2020 success by clinching a bronze medal in Paris, showcasing their consistency on the global stage. Meanwhile, Neeraj Chopra cemented his status as India’s most successful individual Olympian, earning a silver in the javelin throw.
Wrestling’s Young Star
Aman Sehrawat became India’s youngest Olympic medalist at Paris 2024, claiming a bronze in wrestling and highlighting the promise of India’s next generation of athletes.
Narrow Misses and Challenges
Despite these successes, the Paris 2024 Olympics were also marked by several near misses. Indian athletes narrowly missed out on six potential medals, with athletes like Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, and Manu Bhaker finishing in fourth place. Bhaker’s close call denied her a third medal at the Games. Additionally, Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification in a historic final added to India’s heartbreaks.
India’s Participation and Notable Athletes
Indian athletes competed in 69 medal events across 16 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, and more. Notable participants included returning Olympic medalists such as Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, and members of the men’s hockey team led by Harmanpreet Singh.
NEERAJ CHOPRA WINS A SILVER MEDAL FOR INDIA AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS. Congratulations, India! 🇮🇳 #NeerajChopra pic.twitter.com/OPYMqNee4z
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) August 8, 2024
India’s Olympic Legacy
India’s overall Olympic medal count now stands at 41. The journey began in 1900 with Norman Pritchard’s two silver medals in athletics. KD Jadhav was the first individual medalist for independent India, securing a wrestling bronze in Helsinki 1952. Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal at Sydney 2000.
Abhinav Bindra achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at Beijing 2008. Neeraj Chopra followed in his footsteps with a javelin gold at Tokyo 2020. Men’s hockey remains India’s most successful Olympic sport, contributing 13 medals, including eight golds, followed by wrestling with eight medals.
India’s best-ever Olympic performance remains Tokyo 2020, where the nation brought home seven medals, including one gold. The Paris 2024 Olympics, with its mix of triumphs and setbacks, highlighted both the progress and challenges in India’s pursuit of sporting excellence.
