As the Paris Olympics 2024 gears up for its grand opening ceremony on Friday at 11 pm IST, India will make a striking presence with a contingent of 78 athletes and officials representing 12 different disciplines. The Parade of Nations, a highlight of the opening ceremony, will showcase the diversity and talent of India’s sports delegation.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha and Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang have prioritized athlete participation in the parade, ensuring that all athletes who are available will take part. This move underscores the IOA’s commitment to honoring its athletes while respecting those who have chosen to focus on their preparation for upcoming competitions.
The spotlight during the ceremony will shine brightly on star shuttler PV Sindhu and veteran table tennis player Sharath Kamal, who will proudly carry the Indian flag as the nation’s flagbearers. This will mark a historic moment, as Sindhu and Kamal will be the first athletes from their respective sports to serve as flagbearers at such a prestigious event.
Prior to the opening ceremony, India has already made a notable impact at the Paris Olympics. The men’s and women’s archery teams have advanced directly to the quarter-finals in their events, setting a strong precedent for the country’s Olympic campaign.
The Indian contingent, which comprises 117 athletes, is gearing up for its first medal opportunity on July 27. The mixed team air rifle event at the National Shooting Centre in Chateauroux will feature two Indian teams: Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal. Additionally, Manu Bhaker will compete in two individual pistol events as well as the 10m air pistol mixed team competition.
Here is a glimpse of some of the prominent Indian athletes competing across various disciplines:
- Archery: Deepika Kumari, Tarundeep Rai
- Badminton: PV Sindhu
- Boxing: Lovlina Borgohain
- Equestrian: Anush Agarwalla
- Golf: Shubhankar Sharma
- Hockey: Krishan Pathak, Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh
- Judo: Tulika Mann
- Sailing: Vishnu Saravanan, Nethra Kumanan
- Shooting: Anjum Moudgil, Sift Kaur Samra, Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar, Anish
- Swimming: Srihari Nataraj, Dhinidhi Desinghu
- Table Tennis: Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra
- Tennis: Rohan Bopanna, Sumit Nagal, Sriram Balaji
As the opening ceremony approaches, India’s athletes are ready to make their mark on the global stage, embodying the spirit of excellence and determination that defines the Olympic Games.
(Source: ANI)
