India end Paris Olympics 2024 campaign with 6 medals, pending Vinesh verdict

• Image Credit: Google

• Aug 11, 2024 | Guriya Khatun

The Indian hockey team provided a fitting farewell to PR Sreejesh by defeating Spain 2-1 to claim the bronze medal. This marked the first time India has won back-to-back Olympic hockey medals since 1972.

Digital Desk: The Indian team concluded their Paris Olympics campaign with a total of 6 medals. Despite a challenging tournament for fans to watch, the Indian athletes returned with 5 bronze medals and 1 silver, narrowly missing their record medal tally from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

India's performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics featured a blend of successes and setbacks. Although the athletes demonstrated notable resilience and determination, the overall medal count fell short of the anticipated milestone of 10 medals. Several athletes finished in fourth place, which prevented India from surpassing their previous record.

Here is a summary of the Indian medalists from the Paris Olympics:

MANU BHAKER (10m Air Pistol) Manu Bhaker secured two medals, making her the second female Indian athlete to achieve this feat. She won bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event and another bronze in the mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh. Bhaker, who was a top contender, narrowly missed a third medal, finishing fourth in the women’s 25m pistol event after a tense shootout.

SARABJOT SINGH (10m Air Pistol Mixed Team) Sarabjot Singh, alongside Manu Bhaker, earned India's second medal in Paris with a bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The pair won by a slim margin, beating South Korea by just one point. Singh expressed his disappointment but vowed to secure a gold medal in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

SWAPNIL KUSALE (50m Rifle 3P) Swapnil Kusale made history as the first Indian shooter to win a medal in the 50m Rifle 3P event. His outstanding performance earned him third place with a score of 451.4 points. This achievement marked the first time the Indian shooting contingent won three medals in a single Olympic Games.

INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM The Indian hockey team provided a fitting farewell to PR Sreejesh by defeating Spain 2-1 to claim the bronze medal. This marked the first time India has won back-to-back Olympic hockey medals since 1972. Harmanpreet Singh scored both goals in the match, securing India’s 13th Olympic hockey medal.

NEERAJ CHOPRA (Javelin Throw) Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two Olympic medals. He defended his title by winning silver with a throw of 89.45 meters in the men’s javelin competition.

India still has the potential to achieve its best-ever medal tally of 7. Vinesh Phogat is currently appealing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a joint silver medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling competition. Phogat was disqualified from the finals for being 100 grams over the weight limit.

A decision on Phogat's case is expected by August 13 at 9:30 PM, which will determine India's final medal count from Paris.