A Historic Haul of Medals as India Shines at the Paris 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics have been a new milestone event for India to date. Not only have there been new records, but the spectacle has also turned out to be another episode of rising underdogs. The nation is celebrating a haul of medals in a variety of sports disciplines, bringing joy and pride to millions of Indians. This incredible accomplishment is a result of the athletes’ diligence, commitment, and fortitude, as well as those of their coaches and support personnel.

The success story of India at the Paris 2024 Olympics added more medals to India’s total collection of 35 medals, making it 38. This is about the voyage, the obstacles surmounted, and the inspiration kindled in the hearts of those who come after you.

A Record-Breaking Performance

India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics shows a great deal of passion. It displays the dedication of the athletes despite the struggles faced by emerging players in India. This year, the nation has secured medals and set a new benchmark for future competitions. With a total of 3 medals, all of them for shooting, and all of them bronze, India again successfully made its mark on the Indian sports community.

The Three Bold Wins

• Manu Bhaker: The Nation’s Girl

Winning the very first medal for India in the 2024 Olympics and for herself, Manu Bhaker won the bronze medal for shooting. Participating in the 10-meter air pistol event, she became the first Indian woman to win a shooting game in history. July 28 marked a new mark in Indian sport as she effortlessly reached the finals, again breaking another record. This also makes her the first Indian woman to qualify for the Olympic finals in shooting since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

• Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh: The Striving Duo

Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh added to India’s historical collection of shooting medals, claiming the 6th Olympic medal. The pair became the first Indians to win an Olympic medal for shooting at this year’s Olympics. They defeated the Republic of Korea’s pair (Oh Ye JIn and Wonho Lee) 16-10 for the bronze medal match.

While Sarabjot Singh got his first medal in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team game, Manu Bhaker came in with another record. She became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in one edition of the Olympics. She is only second to the only Indian to have won two medals at one Olympics, Norman Pritchard, that too in the Paris 1900 Olympics.

• Swapnil Kusale: Shooting Through Records

The one to add the 3rd medal for this season and the 38th medal for India overall is Swapnil Kusale. He set a record for himself and for India as a whole, demonstrating the nation’s emerging shooting talent.

August 1 marked another bronze win for India, again in shooting, for the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions, making it a record. This is because India has never won three medals in one sport at a previous Olympics edition. The success shines more as Swapnil Kusale is also responsible for bagging the first ever Olympic medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions for India.

A Nation Celebrates

In addition to the medals, there have been other records and achievements worthy of mention. The nation is celebrating the achievements of its athletes at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

• Starting with Manika Batra, she became the first table tennis player to reach the pre-quarterfinals on July 29, being the 18th in the women’s single event. Her campaign ended with her loss to Japan’s Miu Hirano in the pre-quarterfinals.
• Making her Olympic debut, Sreeja Akula followed Manika in the round of 16 but lost to Sun Yingsha of China.
• Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat bagged fourth place in the mixed team archery event, securing India’s best rank to date.
• India’s men’s hockey team finally beat Australia in the Paris 2024 Olympics after 52 years, making them finish second in their pool.
• We also have the striving example of Lakshya Sen in badminton, even though he failed to win a medal in the men’s category, missing out on a record.

Fans have shown their love and appreciation for the athletes through heartfelt messages and grand receptions. In addition to inspiring pride in the country, their accomplishments have motivated a new generation of athletes to aim high and pursue greatness.

The Road Ahead

Indian athletes’ consistent performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is evidence of the nation’s developing sports culture. India will likely do even better in upcoming international competitions if it makes more investments in training centers, athlete development initiatives, and sports infrastructure.

With the 2024 edition yet to end, we still have our hopes up for new titles and records. While Kishore Jena failed to cross the qualification round, Neeraj Chopra retained his Olympic title in men’s javelin throw topping with the 89.34m throw.

As he reaches the finals with his second-best overall, Vinesh Phogat made it to the gold medal match, as the first Indian female wrestler to do so. However, the hockey team failed to aim for the gold medal losing to Germany but will play the for the bronze medal with Spain soon.

For Indian sports, the Olympics in Paris 2024 have raised the bar, particularly in shooting sports, and the future appears bright.

Conclusion

India is extremely proud of its historic performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Despite the losses, the athletes have created memorable experiences, motivations, and inspirations for others. This season’s accomplishments are evidence of their diligence, commitment, and fortitude. It serves as a reminder of the potential that exists in Indian sports, even as the country celebrates this incredible achievement. In the future, Indian athletes will undoubtedly reach even greater heights with sustained encouragement and support. As the athletes inspired and stoked hope in the hearts of millions of people, we also wish them good luck for the future.

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