India’s Medal Prospects @ Paris Olympics

In the Tokyo Olympics, India bagged seven medals, marking the country’s most successful showing at the games. India also had its largest ever contingent of 124 athletes in Tokyo. With the Paris Olympics just around the corner, anticipation is high. India is fielding a strong squad of over 100 athletes in Paris (athletes are still securing berths, so the final count is not yet available). Will India be able to beat its own record of seven medals? Will we be able to reach double digits in the medal tally? Will we win more than one gold? The questions are endless.

Here are some of the top medal hopes for India:

1) Neeraj Chopra

• Sport: Javelin Throw
• Olympic Record: Gold Medal in Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: Gold Medal at Paavo Nurmi, Finland, June 2024 (85.97m)
• Key Competitors: Julian Weber, Vadlejch Jakub, Max Dehning

Neeraj Chopra carries the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians. He became India’s darling after winning its first-ever Olympic gold medal in a track and field event. Neeraj has had a mixed season leading up to Paris, skipping many key competitions to either nurse an injury or focus on training. Most notably, he skipped the Paris Diamond League in June 2024, which Weber won with a throw of 85.91m. The season’s best belongs to Max Dehning, the new teenage sensation who threw a massive 90.20m in February 2024 to enter the coveted 90m club. Neeraj seems to be injury-free now and has trained well. He is primed to defend his gold medal but will face tough competition. Without a doubt, he is the best gold medal hope for India.

2) Nikhat Zareen

• Sport: Boxing, 50kg
• Olympic Record: None, this will be her debut
• Recent Form: Gold Medal at Elorda Cup in May 2024
• Key Competitors: Buse Naz Cakiroglu

Nikhat Zareen, being a two-time and reigning world champion, is one of the brightest medal prospects for India in Paris. She will make her Olympics debut, competing in the 50kg category. She will be unseeded given the new weight category. Her recent form has been scintillating, and she is training well with the Indian contingent in Germany along with boxers from several other nations.

3) Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty

• Sport: Badminton Men’s Doubles
• Olympic Record: Group Stage in Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: Gold Medal at Asian Games, 2023
• Key Competitors: Liang Wei Keng & Wang Chang, Astrup Kim & Anders Rasmussen

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Sai-Chi) have emerged as the brightest stars of badminton in the past season. They had a stellar 2023, winning several titles and securing the world #1 ranking. They have had a slight dip in form recently, and a few early-round exits have made them slip to #3 in the world rankings. From a group stage exit in Tokyo, Sai-Chi has transformed into a formidable force in men’s doubles and would be eyeing the coveted gold medal in Paris. If they regain their form of 2022 and 2023, India might see its first Olympic gold medal in badminton. They have badminton legend Mathias Boe as their coach, who himself was a silver medal winner at the London Olympics 2012.

4) Sift Kaur Samra

• Sport: Shooting, 50m Rifle 3 Positions
• Olympic Record: None, this will be her debut
• Recent Form: Bronze Medal at ISSF World Cup, Munich, June 2024
• Key Competitors: Seonaid Mcintosh, Jiayu Han

Sift Samra, the 22-year-old sensation in Indian shooting, is one of the best medal prospects for India in Paris. She holds a world record in her event, set at the Asian Games in 2023. Shooting has been a sport where India has consistently won medals in the past, except for Tokyo, where there was a major meltdown. Sift is part of one of the largest shooting squads of India heading into the Olympics. Having tested herself against the best at the ISSF World Cup, she is confident of earning a medal for India in Paris.

5) Mirabai Chanu

• Sport: Weightlifting, 49kg Women’s
• Olympic Record: Silver Medal, Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: 4th, Asian Games, 2023
• Key Competitors: Ri Songgum, Jiang Huihua, Hou Zhihui

Mirabai Chanu will be competing in her third Olympics in Paris 2024 and will be the only Indian weightlifter to participate. She erased the disappointing debut at Rio 2016 with a silver medal at Tokyo, showcasing scintillating form back then. Chanu’s preparation has been plagued with significant injuries, but she is banking on her experience to perform well. India will be hoping for her to recreate her Tokyo magic and bring home another medal.

6) PV Sindhu

• Sport: Badminton, Women’s Singles
• Olympic Record: Bronze Medal, Tokyo 2020; Silver Medal, Rio 2016
• Recent Form: Runner-up, Malaysia Masters, May 2024
• Key Competitors: Chan Yu Fei, Carolina Marin, Tai Tzu Ying

PV Sindhu has been one of the most successful athletes for India at the Olympic Games, earning bronze and silver medals in previous editions. She would be eyeing a hat-trick of Olympic medals in Paris. While she did take second place at the Malaysia Masters, her form in recent tournaments has not been stellar, with a string of early-round exits and some injuries. While the odds are stacked against her, one can never count out the two-time Olympic medal winner. India is counting on her experience to perform well in Paris.

7) Indian Hockey Team

• Sport: Men’s Hockey
• Olympic Record: Bronze Medal, Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: Gold Medal, Asian Games, 2023
• Key Competitors: Australia, England, Netherlands

The Indian Men’s hockey team and the Olympics have a deep connection. While the glory days of Indian hockey are far behind, the bronze medal at Tokyo was almost like a turning point for India. The recent form of the team isn’t ideal, but they are still strong contenders for a medal in Paris. The team is currently ranked #7 in the world and will face stiff competition from the likes of Australia, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It will all boil down to how the men in blue handle the pressure of the big games at the Olympics. They will have to raise the bar significantly higher to get a medal, but they surely have the capability to do so.

8) Sarabjot Singh

• Sport: 10m Air Pistol Men’s, 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team
• Olympic Record: None, debut in Paris
• Recent Form: Gold Medal at ISSF World Cup, Munich, June 2024
• Key Competitors: Walter Robin, Bowen Zhang, Yusuf Dikec

Sarabjot Singh is a dark horse in India’s race for Olympic medals in Paris. This 22-year-old has been in red-hot form leading up to the Olympics, picking up a Gold Medal at the recently concluded World Cup, which featured top players. Sarabjot is also part of the mixed team, pairing with Manu Bhaker, another superstar of Indian shooting. With Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot can also bring home another medal for India.

9) Manu Bhaker

• Sport: 10m Air Pistol Women’s, 25m Air Pistol Women’s, 10m Air Pistol Mixed
• Olympic Record: Group Stage, Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: World Record (42 shots) at Bhopal Trials, May 2024, in 25m Air Pistol

Manu Bhaker, only 22 years old, will be appearing in her second Olympics in Paris. She carried high hopes going into the Tokyo Olympics as world #1 and a teenager but succumbed to the intense pressure of the competition, along with an unfortunate technical snag with her pistol. Three years on from Tokyo, she has grown in maturity and composure and will be vying for medals in three events – the only Indian athlete to do so in Paris. Her brightest prospects are in the mixed team, but she can also surprise in her individual events.

10) Lovlina Borgohain

• Sport: Boxing, Women’s 75kg
• Olympic Record: Bronze Medal, Tokyo 2020
• Recent Form: Silver Medal at Grand Prix, June 2024, and Asian Games, 2023
• Key Competitors: Li Qian

Lovlina Borgohain rose to stardom with her stellar bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. After a string of low performances following Tokyo, she has regained her top form since 2023. She has also transitioned to the 75kg category, which suits her well. Her recent performance at the Grand Prix in the Czech Republic puts her on the radar for another Olympic medal. Lovlina will be looking to build on her recent form and make the nation proud.

11) Antim Phangal

• Sport: Wrestling, Women’s 53kg
• Olympic Record: None, debut in Paris
• Recent Form: Silver Medal at Grand Prix, June 2024, and Asian Games, 2023
• Key Competitors: Akari Fujinami

Antim Phangal, only 19 years old, is India’s youngest medal hope for Paris. After a dominant 2022 where she was the world #1, her rise was halted by injury. She has managed to regain her form, winning silver medals at the Grand Prix in June 2024 and the Asian Games. She will be seeded fourth in her category and can bring home a medal if she can pull off a few upsets. Akari Fujinami is a big roadblock, but Antim is capable of beating anyone on her day.

Additional Medal Prospects

• Indian Men’s Archery team: The men’s team is amongst the top ranked team and are in good form coming into the Olympics.
• Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan (Shooting): Both are in top form and look promising for medal-winning performances.
• Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy (Badminton, Men’s Singles): Despite recent dips in ranking, both remain strong contenders.
• Amit Phangal (51kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) (Boxing): Both are dark horses with the potential to bring medals.
• Rohan Bopanna and Sriram Balaji (Tennis): While the competition is tough, Bopanna’s recent form gives them an outside chance.

India’s athletes are poised to make a significant impact at the Paris Olympics, and the nation hopes for a historic medal haul.