India secured a total of six medals at the Paris Olympics 2024—one silver and five bronze. This performance ties with London 2012 as India’s second-best overall, just one medal short of the seven won at the previous Tokyo Olympics. However, the number of medals fell short of expectations, especially considering the six fourth-place finishes and the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat.
Despite this, there were some positive signs, such as the return of medals in shooting and the hockey team winning a medal for the second consecutive time.
Let’s delve into each of India’s medals at the Paris Olympics 2024:
1. Manu Bhaker: Bronze in Women’s 10m Air Pistol – July 28
Manu Bhaker opened India’s medal account at the Paris Olympics by ending a 12-year drought in shooting with a bronze. The 22-year-old Manu made a strong comeback after a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics. Following her failure in Tokyo, Manu had been made the face of Indian shooting’s shortcomings, but she proved herself with determination and hard work in Paris.
In the final, where she initially struggled, Manu showed resilience and remained in medal contention for most of the event. In the final moments, she delivered precise shots under pressure, a sign of her growth. She ultimately secured the bronze medal, narrowly missing out on silver by just 0.1 points. This performance buried the bad memories of Tokyo and marked a new chapter in Indian shooting.
2. Manu Bhaker and Sarabjit Singh: Bronze in 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team – July 30
Two days after her first medal, Manu Bhaker, along with Sarabjit Singh, won a bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event. With this victory, she became the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympics for independent India.
The Indian duo defeated South Korea’s Oh Ye Jin and Lee Won Ho 16-10 in the bronze medal match. Earlier, they had finished joint third in qualification. During the medal match, the Indian pair made slight errors in the initial shots but clinched the bronze medal with precise shots in the final moments.
This medal was particularly satisfying for Sarabjit Singh, who had narrowly missed out on the men’s air pistol final by just one internal 10 points, the smallest margin in shooting.
3. Swapnil Kushale: Bronze in Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions – August 1
Swapnil Kushale secured a bronze medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, further proving the resurgence of Indian shooting. This marked the first time India won three medals in a single sport at the same Olympics.
The 28-year-old Swapnil, one of India’s most talented shooters, showed great determination in this event. After multiple fourth-place finishes at the World Championships and Asian Games, he finally won a medal on the biggest stage at the Olympics.
In the final moments, when he was out of medal contention, he delivered a calm and steady performance to clinch the bronze medal. This performance was as consistent and strong as his career graph, adding a new chapter to Indian shooting history.
4. Indian Hockey Team: Bronze in Men’s Hockey – August 8
The Indian men’s hockey team once again showcased their strength at the Paris Olympics, winning a bronze medal. After a close defeat to Germany in the semifinals, the Indian team defeated Spain 2-1 to secure the bronze medal.
This was India’s 13th Olympic hockey medal and their fourth bronze medal. The most remarkable aspect was that the Indian team won a medal in consecutive Olympics for the first time since 1972.
India’s journey in Paris was nothing short of a cinematic story. They started slow and unsteady but proved themselves by defeating Australia in the Olympics for the first time in 52 years. In the quarterfinals, the team beat Great Britain in a shootout with only 10 players. Despite the semifinal loss, the team’s performance was of high quality, and they secured the bronze medal with a brilliant game.
5. Neeraj Chopra: Silver in Men’s Javelin Throw – August 8
Defending Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal this time, becoming the only Indian to win both gold and silver medals at the Olympics. Neeraj threw 89.45 meters to win the silver medal, while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem set an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters to win gold.
This Olympics was challenging for Neeraj as he was recovering from an injury. Despite this, he delivered his best performance and won the silver medal for India. This performance sets a new benchmark for Indian sports, and Neeraj’s journey will continue to inspire Indian athletics.
6. Aman Sehrawat: Bronze in Men’s 57kg Wrestling – August 9
Aman Sehrawat maintained India’s tradition of winning medals in wrestling by securing a bronze in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling event. The 21-year-old Aman, the youngest wrestler in the Indian contingent, delivered an impressive performance at the Olympics and won the bronze medal.
On the first day of the competition, he defeated North Macedonia’s Vladimir Egorov and Albania’s Zelimkhan Abakarov by technical superiority. In the semifinals, he lost to top-seeded and gold medalist Rei Higuchi of Japan, but the next day, he defeated Puerto Rico’s Darian Torrez Cruz 13-5 to clinch the bronze medal.
Aman’s medal is a significant achievement for Indian wrestling, and his future looks extremely bright.
With these medals, India once again made its mark at the Paris Olympics, but it is clear that more effort is needed to reach even greater heights.