The Summer Olympics are here and sports lovers will have a chance to see the world’s best compete in 32 sports over the next few days.. This year, India has a contingent of 117 athletes from various sports in the competition. Over the past few editions, the number of Indian athletes at the Olympic Summer Games has steadily increased. At Tokyo 2020, the Indian contingent was made up of 124 athletes, the largest that the country had sent to the Games. India also won seven medals, their biggest haul in a single Olympics - including Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold medal in the men’s javelin throw. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Indian athletes will participate in 16 sports disciplines, comprising of 70 men and 47 women. They will be competing in 69 events for 95 medals.
Tennis star Rohan Bopanna at 44 is the oldest athlete to represent India at Paris 2024 while swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu at 14 is the youngest competitor. Athletics is the largest contributor to the Indian contingent with 29 players.
Well, so far nothing. I am just checking the football schedule because some of the biggest players are part of the competition. As far as India is concerned I hope we win medals. I am looking at around 10-15 medals and more. I hope I get the time to watch the competitions. All the best to the Indian contingent.
Bruno Coutinho, former National team football player
Every Olympics, you will get new records and great moments. You also see great science and infrastructure and security. It certainly represents the world and unites the world. It is also about love and brotherhood. I hope it goes off smoothly and India wins medals. But entering the competition itself is the greatest thing and every athlete brings their best to the Olympics.
Brahmanand Shankhwalkar, former National football team goalkeeper
The enchanting city of Paris adds to the excitement of the Olympics, and I look forward to the thrilling track and field events as well as the captivating swimming competitions.
Liam Vas, law student
The Olympics are finally here! I'm electrified to watch my favourite track events, and I'm especially eager to see Andre De Grasse in action - I'm rooting for him to stand on the podium! Though, I have a hunch that Noah Lyles from the USA might sweep the medals. As for India, I'm optimistic about Neeraj Chopra, Satwik-Chirag, and our wrestling contingent bringing home glory. Fingers crossed for our talented boxers and archers to defy the odds, and I'll be cheering on Sharat Kamal and PR Sreejesh to win medals before they hang up their boots. The entire nation will rally behind our hockey team as they face off against formidable opponents like Australia. And, of course, Goa will be proudly cheering for Tanisha Crasto! Wishing all our athletes the very best - may they make our country proud!
Shivam Sangodkar, lecturer
The Olympics is the largest sporting event that happens, maybe not in terms of viewership, but definitely by the number of participating countries. For everyone, one of the most intriguing parts of an Olympics is the opening ceremony, the amazing spectacle, which marks the opening of the games. It’s really sad to see that the Indian contingent has less than 117 athletes which doesn’t make justice to the population we have. Sports still is on the very back foot in our country and a lot needs to be done. Anyways, hoping for at least a few gold medals to make 1.4 billion Indians proud.
Omi Tunes, musician
I am really rooting for Neeraj Chopra this season, although he’s going to have tough competition, but I hope he still wins back-to-back gold medals for our country. In the past few years, we used to get many medals from shooting, but it has declined off late. But the fields of weightlifting and wrestling, which can still hope for the best.
Upesh Morajkar, restaurant manager
I will be looking to top our previous medal tally of seven as our best athletes compete in the Paris
Olympics 2024. I would be
counting on Neeraj Chopra and Nikhat Zareen to pick Gold for us.
Sudhir Patil, entrepreneur
One of the most exciting teams going to represent India in the Paris Olympics 2024 is the 21-member strong Indian shooting contingent. The fact that India has obtained the maximum possible quota of 16 players (8 each in rifle and pistol events) shows the potential they have for creating something magical in the quadrennial event this year.
Aftab Khan, businessman
I would be hoping that India's strong 117-member contingent will go on to beat the country's best-ever performance of seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Satish Valekar, businessman
When Indian Olympians walk into the stadium of the biggest multisport extravaganza in Paris just like me and millions of people back home would be hoping for a historic double-digit medal haul. This is no longer a wild dream for a country soaked in the heroics of cricketers, but looks like a well-calculated projection by sport administrators, considering the way
the athletes have been shaping up for the Olympics.
Ritch Dodamani, engineer
I would be closing watching the brightest medal prospects like Neeraj Chopra, Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina, Sift Kaur Samra, Vinesh Phogat, Avinash Sable and Mirabai Chanu to strike for us for sure to beat the old best tally of 7. Very excited and with all fingers crossed hoping to find our lost glory.
Dawood Kardi, businessman
Four of the six Indians who won medals at individual events at the Tokyo Olympics, and the bronze-winning men's hockey team will be competing in Paris, so I am hoping that we better our record medal haul at Tokyo.
Abdul Khan, musician
Indian sport has never seen anything like javelin star Neeraj Chopra. He is not the first Olympic medallist from the country to avoid the dip in performance and success that has plagued a number of fellow members in that esteemed club after their big moment at the Games. Sindhu and boxing great Mary Kom have both won gold at World Championships of their respective sports and yet, no one has quite done it like Neeraj. He enters these games as the reigning Olympic, Asian and World champion in men's javelin. Neeraj has prioritised his fitness over competitions this year, even giving the Paris Diamond League a miss and regardless of how pragmatic one may be with their predictions, it is not at all an exaggeration to say that he is favourite to win gold again at these Olympics, an achievement that would be unprecedented among Asian javelin throwers, let alone those from India.
Ian Gupta, student
As the Games return to the French capital for the first time in 100 years, the excitement is at an all-time high. Since we would be participating across 16 disciplines, I am hoping that we clinch more than 10 medals for the first time in history.
Ashwin Bansode, fitness trainer
The Tokyo Olympics was unforgettable in more than one way. It came as a breath of fresh air amid the Covid-19 pandemic, giving the fear-stricken world a ray of hope. For the athletes, who overcame a gruelling delay, the games were held behind closed doors, taking away the feeling of competing in front of jubilant crowds. Three years later, Paris promised to host one of the most common games. I am hoping that we outdo our 7-medal tally from Tokyo.
Siddarth Chowgule, social worker