Cricketers with Family Members Who Took the Olympic Stage
Cricket is all set for a grand comeback at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 after an absence of 124 years from the world’s biggest sporting stage. While athletes from across the world shone brightly in the Paris Olympics 2024, it is of importance to note that despite its gigantic following, cricket has never been included since 1900. Then, it was only 24 players who participated in a two-day Test match between Great Britain and France; gold went to the former. Fast-forward to 2028, and cricket will again feature but in a much more modern format: T20 International. Though cricket itself has spent over a century out of the way, some family members of cricketing legends have enjoyed their share of limelight at the Olympics. So, here is a brief look at three cricketers whose relatives have graced the grand Olympic stage: 1. Mitchell Starc’s Brother, Brandon Starc, at Paris 2024 The Starc family indeed does have sport running through its veins. While Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has had success in cricket’s biggest tournaments with his lethal bowling and record-breaking IPL deals, it is his younger brother who represents the family name in the Olympics. Brandon is an Australian high jumper who has been persistent at the Games since Rio 2016, moving on to Tokyo 2020, and recently Paris 2024. His experience includes a silver medal in the 2010 Youth Olympics and gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Olympic podium hasn’t seen Brandon yet. 2. Keith Thomson’s Brother, William Thomson, at Mexico 1968 New Zealand’s Keith Thomson was known for his brief career as a test cricketer, playing one test match against India in 1968, before moving to become an umpire. However, it was his brother William Thomson who made the news in another sport. William was a member of the New Zealand men’s hockey team during the 1968 Mexico Olympics. What was expected to be a straightforward victory for the Kiwis did what no one had thought they would–defeat reigning champions India in the opening match. Unfortunately, New Zealand couldn’t sustain that momentum, finishing third in their group and out of the semifinals despite a solid record of three wins and four draws. 3. Winston Benjamin’s Son, Rai Benjamin, at Paris 2024 Son of the former West Indies pace bowler Winston Benjamin, Rai Benjamin, made a name for himself in athletics and captured gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 in the 400m hurdles. Rai’s time of 46.46 seconds secured him a top spot at Stade de France, building on his already distinguished list of accolades including a silver medal at Tokyo 2020 and a raft of awards won at the World Championships. His victory in Paris was extra special for his family but also offered a glimpse into the future of sporting greatness. These stories remind us that while cricket as a game was not present, the fighting spirit of the loved ones of cricket stars never went out of existence as we prepare ourselves for cricket’s comeback in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. Now, the whole world will wait for 2028—cricketers are going to get their chance to blaze the Olympic podium again. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
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
Things You Didn’t Know About The Indian Golfer, Diksha Dagar
Indian golfer, Diksha Dagar will participate in the Women’s Individual Stroke Play (Round 4) at the Paris Olympics 2024. Dagar is one of the last hopes for India to clinch a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. She would be accompanied by another Indian, Aditi Ashok during the event. Read who is Aditi Ashok and why is she rated so high here. Coming back to Diksha Dagar, she is a rising star in the sport of golf and has been making waves recently. Here is a fact file which might help you know Diksha Dagar more. FACT FILE – DIKSHA DAGAR SR. NO FACT 1 Born deaf; began wearing hearing aids at age 6; later had a cochlear implant fitted 2 Started playing golf at age 7, alongside her brother Yogesh Dagar, who is also profoundly deaf 3 Initially coached by her father, Colonel Narinder Dagar, a former scratch golfer and Indian Army officer 4 Inspirational role models: Novak Djokovic and Tiger Woods 5 Represented India at the Espirito Santo Trophy in 2016 and 2018 6 At 17, won her first professional event at the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in 2018; also won the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open 7 Won a silver medal at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics; first Indian to win a Deaflympic medal in golf; won gold at the 2021 Deaflympics 8 Competed for India at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia 9 Turned professional in early 2019 10 At 18, became the second Indian woman to win on the Ladies European Tour; won the 2019 South African Open 11 Member of the winning team in the 2021 Aramco Team Series – London, alongside Olivia Cowan, Sarina Schmidt, and Andrew Kelsey 12 Olympic appearances: Tokyo 2020 (due to South African Paula Reto’s withdrawal) and Paris 2024 13 Nominated for the Arjuna Award in 2023, India’s second-highest sporting honor India would be banking Diksha Dagar as she sets her target to bag a medal and make India proud. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
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: India’s Last Medal Hope on Day 15
All eyes are now on India’s athletes as the nation prays that one of its breeders shines to add to the medal count at Paris Olympics 2024. With India currently at 69 with five bronze and a silver, this shifts focus to the last glimpse of chances in securing more honours. Here’s what India would be having on its plate today at the Paris Olympics 2024. Wrestling: Reetika Hooda’s Decisive Bout In wrestling, Reetika Hooda was the last Indian still in the fray for a medal from the sport. Hooda will be competing in the women’s 76 kg freestyle category and opening her campaign against Bernadett Nagy of Hungary. Bernadett Nagy herself is no ordinary wrestler, having twice finished as the European Championships’ bronze medalist. This presents a big challenge to her. A win for Hooda will not only assure her a passage to the next round but may well set up a meeting with the top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan. Golf: Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar in Medal Quest Next in line will be golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, who will feature in the Women’s Individual Final. As far as the potential of these players is concerned, both are competent enough to net a podium finish and improve India’s position at the medals table. The Paris Olympics 2024 is heating up and India is holding its bated breath, hoping its campaign at the Games comes out triumphantly at the end. 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
Paris 2024: India Brings Home Bronze In Hockey
It turned out to be a historic win for Indian hockey as the national team captured the bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024—the country’s second consecutive Olympic medal in the game (1st in Tokyo, now in Paris) since a 52-year hiatus. This achievement highlights the resurgence of India’s rich hockey legacy that had remained dormant since their last medal in 1972. A Dramatic Final The last match played was between India and Spain, where the Indians came out very strong. Though slow to get off the blocks, an early Spanish lead was netted home by none other than Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh. Singh netted two exceptional dragflicks that turned the game for India. The first of these came with just 20 seconds left in the first half, while the second came three minutes into the second half and was a neat, low flick that found the far corner. Defensive Masterclass This victory takes India to its 13th Olympic medal in hockey and the fourth bronze. The crucial defense, led ably by veteran goalkeeper Sreejesh and bolstered by Amit Rohidas in the final quarter, turned out to be the most important factor. Sreejesh played the farewell game, pulling off a number of critical saves to thwart late attempts by Spain for a comeback, including those of the crucial penalty corners. Nail-Biting Final Moments The last quarter became nail-biting when Spain pushed hard, and though India’s defense was at times unconvincing in judgment, it held. Rohidas’s effective rushes at the penalty corners and Sreejesh’s goalkeeping ensured that the lead the team had managed was never relinquished. Recipe For Success What worked for Coach Craig Fulton was the strategy of a strong defensive unit, and the players could sustain the pressure. It was Harmanpreet Singh’s ten goals that made all the difference in India’s victory and ranked him as one of the top scorers in the tournament. India Rejoices While the team celebrates its victory, the actual significance of back-to-back medals will take some time to sink in. The win reinstates India’s place at the Olympic podium and reignites the nation’s love for its historic sport. “Hockey is back,” said captain Harmanpreet Singh aptly, and it was a moment of pride for Indian sports. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye