Paris 2024: Cash Prizes for Indian Medal Winners Revealed
The Indian contingent performed decently at the Paris Olympics 2024 and secured six medals. Here’s a breakdown of the recognition and cash prizes awarded to the athletes: Men’s Hockey Team Each member of the men’s hockey team got Rs 15 lakh, declared by Hockey India.– The support staff received Rs 7.5 lakh each.– Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Manjhi announced an award of Rs 4 crore to defender Amit Rohidas, and Rs 10 lakh for each support staff member and Rs 15 lakh for each player.– Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann declared a cash award of Rs 1 crore for each squad member from Punjab. Neeraj Chopra No official announcement has come as of now about the cash prize for Neeraj Chopra. He was given Rs 6 crore by the Haryana government after he won gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Manu Bhaker Manu Bhaker got Rs 30 lakh from the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. She was also given the responsibility of flag bearer for India at the closing ceremony. Sarabjot Singh The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports awarded Sarabjot Singh Rs 22.5 lakh for his bronze winning performance in the mixed team shooting event along with Manu Bhaker. Aman Sehrawat Aman Sehrawat is entitled to a cash prize for his bronze in wrestling, but the amount is yet to be declared. Swapnil Kusale Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. The Bottom Line The Paris Olympics 2024 turned out to be quite glorious for the Indian athletes, who walked away with six medals and wide recognition in the form of cash rewards. This was a shade lower than the seven medals won in the Tokyo Olympics. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India’s Performance Report Card At The Games
India’s campaign at Paris Olympics 2024 evoked mixed reviews. While India bagged six medals, thereby securing its third-best ever overall performance. The Paris Olympics 2024 campaign revealed an array of performances across different sports. Here is a report card of India’s performances at Paris Olympics 2024. Athletics: F and A+ On an overall count, the athletics contingent did very poorly, as most of its athletes failed to match their personal best. But Neeraj Chopra’s silver in javelin was a high point as it was the second-best throw of his life. While the broader athletics performance was lackluster, Chopra’s achievement earned an A+ for its high standards. Archery: C+ Although archery seemed to have some hope, it was the case that the team did not turn out to be as expected. Deepika Kumari was one among the underperformers, while Dhiraj Bommadevara and Bhajan Kaur were people with a lot of promise. The redeeming factors proved to be the historic fourth-place finish and semifinalists marking the history of the team. The management missteps by the federation and lack of top-level support pulled down the grade overall. Badminton: D For the first time since 2008, India failed to secure an Olympic medal in badminton. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and PV Sindhu were all big expectations in this realm; however, all of them underperformed. A near-bronze performance came from Lakshya Sen, which was a bright spot, but otherwise, the results were a disappointment. Boxing: F The Indian boxers suffered a poor Olympics, with several high hopes coming to naught. While both the world champions Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain didn’t return with medals, the issues with the federation regarding the selection and seeding policies were completely evident. There has to be great change in the boxing federation if future prospects are to be improved. Equestrian: B Anush Agarwalla’s qualification and performance in equestrian events were commendable, given the low expectations. Finishing 52nd was an achievement in itself and Agarwalla’s continued presence on the circuit is promising for future competitions. Golf: D Golf did not meet expectations, with Aditi Ashok’s tied-29th finish being the best among Indian golfers. Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar also underperformed. The results were below expectations, especially after Ashok’s near-miss in Tokyo. Hockey: A The Indian hockey team punched above its weight to garner bronze in a performance that matched the Tokyo iteration of the team yet again with the exact same medal. But the display in Paris was telling of how they had grown and adapted well enough to bag successive medals for the first time since over 50 years. Judo: N/A Tulika Maan’s campaign was as short as its beginning with the loss, but qualification itself was worthy. An evaluation is hard owing to the fleeting nature of her time at the event. Rowing: B Balraj Panwar’s 23rd-place finish in rowing met expectations of a low ranking as he had only started the sport a year ago. His performance, though not pathbreaking in any way, was a decent start. Sailing: C+ Sailing results were disappointing with Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan finishing 18th and 21st. Though not medal contenders by a distance, they had the experience to finish a bit higher than what eventually did. Shooting: A+ Shooting became India’s standout sport, with three medals, ending a 12-year drought. Two bronze medals from Manu Bhaker and the good performances of Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale proved that Indian shooters could really throw their weight in this discipline and their achievements deserving of an A+. Swimming: B+ Swimming turned out some encouraging results, especially some fine finishes by India’s swimmers. Though there were no medals, the performances of Srihari Nataraj and others did showcase a lot of promise and pointed out the requirement of more investments in this sport. Table Tennis: C and A India’s performance in table tennis had mixed results. The men’s team did less than ordinary, however the women’s team put up quite a stellar show, with Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula reaching the quarterfinal. It was a high point in a performance that left much to be desired in other sports. For now, the better part of India’s performance at the Paris Olympics 2024 can be described as giving mixed indicators of gains and challenges to be overcome in different sports. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shteye
Paris 2024: All You Need To Know About India’s Last Medal Hope; Reetika Hooda
As the Paris Olympics 2024 enters its endgame, all of India’s last medal expectations rest with one of its most luminous wrestling talents: Reetika Hooda, wrestling in the heavyweight 76 kg category. Hailing from Rohtak district in Haryana, Reetika has grown into a strong wrestler on the international circuit and has finally emerged as a contender, hence carrying all the hopes of India to win a medal at Paris Olympics 2024. A Historic Win in 2023 Reetika Hooda created history in 2023 by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Under-23 World Championships. Nothing less than a spectacular win, she defeated highly-rated Kennedy Blades of the United States. Blades, who would go on to make the USA Olympic team, was one of the toughest opponents Reetika has come up against in her career. A Silver Lining in Budapest On the eve of the Olympics, Reetika showed her potential in the UWW ranking series in Budapest, Hungary. She brought home a silver medal after a highly thrilling contest, where she won three out of four bouts. The performance was promising, for it not only gave a fillip to morale but also enough warning to her opponents in the 76kg category. Confronting the Best The Paris Olympics 2024 chalked out 15 of the world’s best wrestlers in the 76kg category, where Reetika Hooda is no stranger to her competition. Notably, she has faced seven of them before in various tournaments and emerged victorious over six. This includes the bout against Colombia’s Tatiana Renteria, who finished bronze at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships, where Reetika lost by a marginal difference of a point. Preparing for Immortality Be as unique as it is intense, this would be her preparation for the Olympics. With no woman in her category available for sparring, Reetika wrestles with the boys who train alongside her. She had pushed herself to the limits so that she is at her best for the Games. Under coach Mandeep Singh’s watchful eye, Reetika has spent these past few months honing her skills and refining strategies—trying everything in her pursuit of Olympic glory. en Route to Paris, Reetika’s case for the Olympics was pretty as clear as crystal when she became the first-ever Indian woman to qualify for heavyweight 76kg in the Olympics. She got the quota for the biggest quadrennial competition during the Olympic Qualifiers held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, guaranteeing her place amongst the elite wrestlers vying for the top prize in Paris. India’s Medal Hopes Fellow Indians Antim Panghal in the 53kg, Anshu Malik in the 57kg, Nisha Dahiya in the 68kg, Vinesh Phogat in the 50kg, and Aman Sehrawat in the 57kg categories have joined Reetika at Paris 2024. As Reetika steps onto that mat at Paris 2024, she will not only be living her own dreams but also the hopes of an entire nation that is looking up to her. She has risen to that occasion, propelled by determination and skill, relentless in her training. India is going to watch, hope, and cheer for Reetika Hooda to bring home another Olympic medal, getting her name inscribed in Indian sports history. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Who Is Aditi Ashok and Why Is She Rated So High?
Searches for “golf rules” suddenly spiked in the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in India, inspired by an unheralded golfer—Aditi Ashok’s—who represented India at the event and was 178th in world standings. The competition was held on the prestigious Kasumigaseki Country Club’s East Course. Aditi added a bit of sensational news with a scorching start in the Olympic golf tournament. A Thrilling Battle on the Course The course par was 71–the number of strokes a good golfer is expected to take to complete the course. In round one, Aditi returned a brilliant 67 to be level with world number one Nelly Korda of the United States. The second round was just a continuum of great performance by Aditi as she hiked her score to 66, but Korda pulled clear with a great 62 to leave Aditi in second position alongside two other players. Near-Miss and Heartbreak on the Final Day The third round became even more absorbing as Korda dropped behind to let Aditi close the gap and establish her position at second position. However, on the final day, Aditi struggled for under-par scores in the first four holes and lost out to Lydia Ko, the silver medallist from Rio 2016. Despite a fine recovery with birdies—those magical one-stroke-under-par—Aditi just missed the medal podium by a whisker. The near-miss at the 17th – where the ball grazed the edge – was dear as Korda sewed up the gold, and Japan’s Mone Inami defeated Ko in a play-off for silver. Aditi’s Rise in 2023 It has been three years since Aditi Ashok reworked her game and rose as one of the fearsome competitors on the global golf circuit. She worked significantly on driving distances to get closer to the hole off the tee. The best year was 2023 when she had two wins, two seconds, one third and four more top-10 finishes. She finished the year at 42nd in world rankings, touching a career-best of 39th in early 2024. Challenges in 2024 and the Way Forward The 2024 season has been anything but spectacular for Aditi. She has labored to finish in the top 10 in 15 events and has seen her ranking slide to 60th. But she is still in pursuit of that elusive victory in a golf major. She did create history at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games when she won a silver medal for India, though she lost out on gold after squandering a seven-stroke lead. Aditi’s Quest for Glory At Paris 2024 While Aditi Ashok may not be among the top favorites based on statistics for Paris 2024, she certainly stands out to be one of the most powerful contenders to stand on the podium. One of her strengths is a great short game. Olympic fields are typically weaker than professional events because of the limits on the number of golfers each country can send. The twenty-six-year-old Aditi now proved that she could match the very best in the world and was reflective of her outing in a 2023 event where she finished ahead of Korda, who still is the world number one. Aditi’s Medal Hopes The more that Aditi Ashok replicates the strong start she made at Tokyo 2020, the more she can stay within medal contention at Paris 2024. Equipped with talent and determination alike, she stands firmly level with others in the field and all of India will no doubt be watching keenly as she takes to the course in hope of an historic Olympic finish. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Neeraj Chopra Brings Home A Sliver For India
In a thrilling men’s javelin throw at the Paris Olympics 2024, on Thursday, Neeraj Chopra, the reigning champion from Tokyo 2020, claimed silver, taking his second-best throw ever. Surely to put up a good fight, Neeraj’s performance was just overshadowed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who took gold with a truly jaw-dropping record of 92.97m for the Olympic record. Struggles with Form and Technique Neeraj Chopra, who managed just one valid throw of 89.45 meters in his six attempts, spoke with some disappointment after the event. “It was a good throw but I’m not that happy with my performance today,” he admitted. “My technique and runway were not that good. (I managed) only one throw, the rest I fouled.” Injury Concerns and Challenges in Preparation Speaking reflectively on his struggles during the final, Neeraj Chopra said, “(For my) second throw I believed in myself to think I can also throw that far. But in javelin, if your run is not so good, you can’t throw very far.” That silver-medal-winning throw came on his second attempt, and it was patently obvious that he was not at his best. Impact of Persistent Injuries The 26-year-old Indian ace also admitted that he was not doing well in the past two-three years and acknowledged that this was pulling him back once more. “I am always getting injured. I really tried hard, but I have to work upon my injury and technique,” he added. Adductor Muscle Issues Neeraj Chopra’s preparations for Paris 2024 had been marred by problems with his adductor muscles, which even forced him to pull out of several crucial meets, including the Ostrava Golden Spike. He had earlier disclosed that the problems with these adductors were dragging on intermittently for almost the past two years. He had added that he would seek further medical consultation for the same after the Olympics. “I’m not doing much throwing in training because of my groin (injury). But I will work hard in future,” he promised his fans. Gracious Congrats to Nadeem Despite his own challenges, Neeraj Chopra gracefully congratulated his competitor and friend, Arshad Nadeem, for his performance. “Today’s competition was really great. Arshad Nadeem threw really well. Congratulations to him and his country,” he said. Historic Gold for Pakistan Arshad Nadeem brought a lot of history to Pakistan with his gold medal, being the first-ever individual Olympic gold won by any Pakistani athlete and the country’s first Olympic medal since the Barcelona 1992 Games. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India’s 13th Olympic Hockey Medal; The Most Any Country Has
The Indian hockey team earned its first Olympic medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, where they scored 29 goals across five matches to secure the gold medal. Dhyan Chand, renowned for his extraordinary skill, scored 14 of those goals, including a hat-trick in the final against the Netherlands. In the Paris Olympics 2024, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian men’s team claimed their 13th Olympic hockey medal by defeating Spain in the bronze medal match. Read this to know how the Indian Hockey Team bagged a bronze at Paris 2024. Here is a complete list of all the medals won by India in hockey at the Olympic Games. INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM’S DREAM RUN AT OLYMPICS OVER THE YEARS MEDAL EDITION Gold Amsterdam 1928 Gold Los Angeles 1932 Gold Berlin 1936 Gold London 1948 Gold Helsinki 1952 Gold Melbourne 1956 Silver Rome 1960 Gold Tokyo 1964 Bronze Mexico City 1968 Bronze Munich 1972 Gold Moscow 1980 Bronze Tokyo 2020 Bronze Paris 2024 India has a rich tradition in men’s hockey, winning as many as eight gold medals. The last time India won gold, though, was in 1980. Other than these eight golds, India has won a silver medal in 1960 and three bronzes in 1968, 1972, 2020 and most recently at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
“Alvida Kushti” Says Vinesh Phogat After Olympic Disqualification
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from the sport through an emotional social media post. The 29-year-old, who was bound to compete for the 50kg gold medal bout, revealed her decision after dramatic events unfolded when she was ruled out of contention at the Paris Olympics 2024 due to an overweight of 100 grams. A Tearful Goodbye Having made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to enter a gold medal bout in her category, Phogat expressed deep disappointment. In a message to her mother, Premlata, Phogat wrote, “Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive (me),” Phogat, a two-time world championship bronze medalist, has now retired from wrestling. Phogat’s Disqualification The disqualification came barely minutes before the final contest Wednesday, with Phogat way above her category’s limit. Severe dehydration—in the wake of extreme measures taken to make the weight in, including fasting and without fluids all day, and staying awake all night—saw her spend much of the day at a polyclinic inside the Games village. Appeal and Legal Proceedings Phogat had appealed CAS to turn her disqualification into a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who took her place in the final bout against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt went on to win that bout and take the gold medal. The appeal of Phogat was to be heard in the next few hours by the ad-hoc division of CAS set up in Paris for disputes arising from the Olympic Games. Phogat’s Legacy Phogat has had a career resonating with gold medals in Asian and Commonwealth Games and has been one of the icons in wrestling. Her recent efforts also include spearheading protests against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexual harassment. Vinesh Phogat’s retirement brings curtains on one of the remarkable journeys as a three-time Olympian and the trailblazer of Indian women in wrestling. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Tapping the Potential of Sports Science at Paris Olympics 2024
The world got to see a whole new face of athlete preparation during the Paris Olympics 2024, where a largely shifted will had been seen from the traditional methods to more backing on sports science. Modern-day athletes bank on advanced technologies and data analytics in optimizing both their training and recovery processes, illustrating the increasing dependency on sports science in today’s sports. An Olympic silver medalist, for example, wears a heart rate monitor to track cardio data, which her physiotherapist and coach then use to help her decide on the daily training program. Sports Wearables play a crucial part here. The sports wearable ensures that the athlete gets optimal training without going over her limit to ensure recovery, thereby enhancing her prospects of repeating the feat of winning another medal. An older table tennis player, who began tracking his heart rate for more than twenty years ago, is a good example of the role of sports science and usage of sports wearable technology in long athletic careers. He continuously uses data to tune his training in ways that have been instrumental in keeping him competitive. Experts have chalked out a strength training schedule for an Olympic champion javelin thrower, targeting an increase of a certain percentage of his present power output. It is such a focussed program that even the ‘bar speed’—the speed at which a weightlifter lifts weights—will be monitored in an attempt to maximize his distance throw without losing any of his fleet-footedness. Across disciplines, technology is being integrated as standard practice. Today, robots are sparring partners for the best athletes in table tennis and archery; specialized gear, such as stable jackets, helps shooters achieve better scores. Real-time analysis with Vo2 max and electrolyte balance gives an athlete a fair amount of return information on his physiology to make instant adjustments in his training and strategy. There is also greater recognition of the fact that each system is different and thus requires personalized training and nutrition plans catering to specific body types and genetic factors. Considering the importance of sport nutrition, the Olympic Village at Paris 2024 gives athletes an access to a variety of cuisines and also has set up a restaurant that caters to the nutrition needs of the athletes. Much effort is being put into the complete integration of sports science within the programs for athlete development. Regular assessments and screenings are performed to monitor the physical and nutritional status of the athletes, however wide acceptance of these methods is still not quite in place. Yet, success cases among those who have embraced those new means made clear the real potential of sports science in making big differences in athletic performance. The Sportz Planet – SportSci Summit 2024 The themes mooted at the Paris Olympics 2024 resonate with the sessions of the inaugural SportSci Summit organized by The Sportz Planet on June 22, 2024. Experts shared and presented various aspects of sports physiology, sports psychology, sports biomechanics, sports nutrition, on-field emergency management and sports wearable technology. These issues were in sync with the new approaches we are able to see at Paris Olympics 2024 as here too the athletes used sports science to make the difference. Key takeaways from the summit were on the lines of psychological conditioning, precise biomechanics, effective nutrition strategies and wearable tech in training. Other main pointers from the meet revolved around emergency response techniques and sports cardiology in athlete safety. Of course, these inspiring stories by elite athletes were motivation in themselves for the mere punctuation of dedication and resilience required to succeed in sports, thus reiterating the reason for a holistic approach to sports science. As sports science evolves further, its effect on athlete performance, health, and safety will continue to increase and define the future of sports across the world. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Avinash Sable Qualifies for Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Final
Indian runner Avinash Sable timed 8:15.43 and finished 5th on Monday 05th August, 2024. Aggressive is the word to describe this race; Sable, leading right up to the 1000m mark, eased into the top four. Sable stayed in front with Kenyan runner Abraham Kibiwot and the Ethiopian Samuel Fireru throughout most of the race but fell into third place as the race continued. He maintained a decent pace, though and at the bell remained in contention, being joined by Kibiwott, Fireru, and Japan’s Ryuji Miura, who had moved his way into the top five that would guarantee a place in the final. Last Lap and Performance Although overtaken by four competitors in the home straight, Sable clung to 5th position, with the discernibility of those athletically top separating themselves ahead and the rest behind. Significantly, Sable’s performance included the likelihood of being even better had he not checked too many times to see his position while the race was on. Impressive Pre-Olympics Form Sable takes solid form going into the Olympics in Paris. Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, he bettered his personal best to 8:09:91 at the Paris Diamond League, which on 7 July got him the 6th place at a top-class field. This was the first time in his career that Sable made it under that 8:10 time. Confidence/Competitive Edge Some of his confidence came ahead of the Diamond League, where he stated that he was in the best shape of his career. The tight competition at the Diamond League was emphasized by a close finish, with all the runners from 4th to 6th position finishing within 0.50s of each other. Looking Ahead to the Final Sable’s progression and recent performances set a promising tone as he prepares for the final, with the men’s 3000m steeplechase event being one of the anticipated highlights of the Paris Olympics 2024. Also read about how Avinash Sable dreamt big here. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Novak Djokovic Strikes Gold in Men’s Singles
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won the gold medal in the men’s singles at the Paris Olympics 2024 following his victory over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, 7-6[3], 7-6[2], in a pulsating final on Sunday, 04th July, 2024. The game was contested on Court Philippe Chatrier and ended up being an advertisement for Djokovic, who once again put on a truly impressive display of brio under pressure. Dramatic Battle and Triumph in Tiebreak The Paris Olympics 2024 Tennis – Men’s Singles Final was a rematch of their Wimbledon 2024 final, which Alcaraz had won. Djokovic showed good fighting spirit as he saved five breakpoints late in the first set before winning it in a tiebreak. He carried this momentum into the second set, where he would never drop his serve, finally claiming the win when a forehand winner sailed past Alcaraz out of reach during the second tiebreak. Celebrations and Emotional Moments It was clear to many that Djokovic was ecstatic, roaring up at the sky before falling to his knees at the center of the court. He then climbed into the stands to be embraced by his family and team. On the other side, Alcaraz, who had been seeking to add Olympic gold to his French Open and Wimbledon titles, was in tears as the match finally came to an end. Historic Achievement The win at Paris Olympics 2024 made Djokovic the fifth player, along the likes of Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, who won all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles, therefore attaining a Career Golden Slam. It also meant he became the oldest man to win an Olympic singles gold since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye