2024 Paris Olympics, athletics: Key details of Indian contingent
The 33rd Summer Olympics edition went underway on July 26 in Paris, the capital of France. Over 10,000 athletes will feature at the Paris Games for 19 days, which involves 329 events. A 27-member Indian athletics team (men and women) led by javelin star Neeraj Chopra will vie for medals across events. Here we look at the Indian contingent in athletes.
Here are the track events
As far as the track events are concerned, Kiran Pahal (women's 400m), Parul Chaudhary (women's 3000m steeplechase and 5,000m), Jyothi Yarraji (women's 100m hurdles), and Ankita Dhyani (women's 5000m) are the female athletes to be in action. Avinash Sable (men's 3000m steeplechase) is the only Indian male to participate in an individual track event.
Details about the relay races
Muhammed Anas, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, Rajesh Ramesh, and Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan will join forces for India in the men's 4x400m relay race. The women's 4x400m relay race will also take place with Jyothika Sri Dandi, Subha Venkatesan, Vithya Ramraj, and MR Poovamma representing India.
Indian athletes in the road events
Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh, and Paramjeet Singh Bisht will represent India in the men's 20 km walk. Priyanka Goswami will feature in the women's 20 km walk. The duo of Priyanka Goswami and Suraj Panwar Marathon will compete in the marathon race walking mixed relay.
Here are the field events
While Sarvesh Kushare has qualified for the men's high jump, Jeswin Aldrin will participate in the men's long jump competition. Abdulla Aboobacker and Praveen Chithravel are India's participants in the men's triple jump. Tajinderpal Singh Toor will aim to shine in the men's shot put event.
Can Neeraj Chopra bring another gold?
The iconic Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena are India's medal hopefuls in the men's javelin throw competition. Notably, the former clinched gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games. The men's javelin throw event will see Annu Rani in action.
India has won three medals in athletics
India has won 35 medals across sports, with their best haul coming at the Tokyo Games (seven). Athletics has fetched India three medals, including one gold and two silver. India first participated at the Paris Olympics in 1900. Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in athletics, becoming India's first-ever Olympic medalist. With this, India became the first Asian country to win an Olympic medal.
Neeraj Chopra won a historic gold in 2021
India's third and only other athletics medal at the Olympics came after as many as 121 years. Chopra scripted history by securing a historic gold medal in men's javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021). He brought home India's first-ever gold medal in athletics at the Olympics. Chopra also became India's second Olympics individual gold medalist after Abhinav Bindra.
