India's Highs and Lows at Paris 2024

At the conclusion of another Olympics, the Indian contingent had its moments both of elation and disappointment. While Reetika Hooda's elimination from the women's 76kg wrestling marked the end of our participation in Paris, the campaign started on a promising note with Manu Bhaker scoring two medals. Although the Paris Olympics promised a lot more, it also proved that there are no certainties in sports. 

India earned six medals in total. Contemplating if this performance deviates from the tally achieved at Tokyo is inevitable. However, every Olympic medal is indeed a precious addition, and six more were added to our collection this time. The chase for double-digit medals, however, came to a halt as six of our athletes narrowly missed a spot on the podium and finished fourth.

Notably, there were a few firsts in shooting. Bhaker became the first post-independence Indian to win multiple Olympics medals in the same event, while Swapnil Kusale's bronze marked India's first medal in the 50m 3 Position event. Harmanpreet Singh, India's hockey captain, played a vital role in the team's bronze medal win, scoring two-thirds of India's total goals.

Meanwhile, the men's 4x400m relay team missed the final by just 0.32 seconds, finishing fourth in their heat. Wrestling, too, witnessed ups and downs. Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for not making the correct weight, but the gloom was lifted by Aman Sehrawat, the youngest Indian Olympic medalist, who kept alive a streak of five consecutive Olympics with at least one wrestling medal for our country. 

After 12 years, India also secured an Olympic medal in shooting, thanks to Manu Bhaker. However, Mirabai Chanu was virtually in touching distance of joining list of multiple Olympic medalists, but ended her journey at the dreaded fourth place. All in all, the Paris 2024 was a showcase of trials, triumphs, and tribulations for Indian athletes, offering important lessons for the future.