India aims for double-digit medal haul at Paris Games

Some Indian athletes will be carrying high expectations, some will look to surprise, and a few will aim for a perfect end to their careers as the 117-strong Indian contingent targets a better performance at the Olympic Games, starting on Friday.

India returned from Tokyo with seven medals, and now a double-digit performance is desired in Paris.

Except for wrestlers, who faced a controversial build-up, athletes in other disciplines have had no complaints about their preparations.

Whether it was training abroad or accessing the best facilities to hone their skills, planning was in place.

But will the hard work, strategies, and support translate into medals?

The big picture

It will be a significant challenge to match the seven medals from Tokyo, given that few are top contenders in their disciplines except for reigning Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. More than half of the 117-member contingent is from three sports: athletics (29), shooting (21), and hockey (19). Of these 69 athletes, 40 are debutants.

In other sports, there are debutants like tennis player N Sriram Balaji and wrestler Reetika Hooda. While not entirely inexperienced, many of India's athletes will be competing on a grand stage for the first time.

Then there are seasoned athletes expected to raise their game, such as two-time medallist shuttler PV Sindhu, tennis player Rohan Bopanna, legendary table tennis player Sharath Kamal, and hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, likely playing their last Olympics.

The hockey team has had mixed form leading up to the Games, while boxers and wrestlers lack competition time. The shooters have shown mixed results heading into the Olympics.

Track and field athletes, especially Avinash Sable, have performed well recently but still lag behind global rivals. For example, steeplechaser Sable has consistently bettered his national record, but seven international runners have achieved better timings in the lead-up to the Games. Even making the finals will be a huge achievement.

Best chances

India's hopes for podium finishes largely hinge on Neeraj Chopra, despite concerns around his adductor niggle, and the in-form badminton duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.

Neeraj has yet to reach the coveted 90m mark from Tokyo to Paris but has shown consistent performances to land global titles. On big competition days, Neeraj has outperformed his rivals, and if fit, he could become only the third athlete in India's sports history to win back-to-back Olympic medals. Only Sindhu (2016 Rio and 2012 London) and wrestler Sushil Kumar (2008 Beijing, 2012 London) have won consecutive medals.

Rankireddy and Chirag have grown into one of India's most formidable men's doubles teams and are seen as strong medal contenders. Sindhu, though not in her best form and with a tough draw, could still leverage her experience to reach the medal round.

Hockey

The men's hockey team has been inconsistent, losing all five games in Australia recently after a mixed run in the Pro League, a stark contrast to their Asian Games win in Hangzhou. Penalty corner conversion and maintaining match tempo are concerns. Additionally, the team is grouped with strong opponents like Australia, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland, leaving no room for error to make the top four.

Shooting

The 21-member shooting contingent, the largest ever, has had a quiet build-up compared to London and Tokyo, where stars like Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary had raised medal hopes. Even Divyansh Panwar and Elavenil Valarivan, once hailed as future superstars, have yet to deliver.

Despite the lack of spotlight, Sift Kaur Samra (50m three position), Sandeep Singh (10m air rifle), and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (men's 50m rifle) have the potential to end the 12-year wait for a medal. Gagan Narang, now India's Chef de Mission, was the last Indian shooter to win a medal, securing the 10m air rifle bronze in the 2012 London Games.

Wrestling

Wrestling has delivered medals for India in the last four editions, with hopes for four to five medals in Paris. However, protests against the Wrestling Federation of India disrupted the sport, with no national camp and limited competition. Qualified wrestlers trained independently. Going into the Games, Anshu Malik, Antim Panghal, and Aman Sehrawat are considered India's best bets, with U-23 world champion Reetika Hooda seen as a dark horse.

Others

Archers and table tennis players have qualified based on rankings. While it's a huge achievement for table tennis players, the archers have a less promising outlook, compounded by their coach's denial of Games accreditation. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, the Tokyo silver medallist, has struggled with injury and form, casting doubt on her ability to repeat her success. Boxers Nikhat Zareen and Nishant Dev have shown encouraging recent results and will be closely watched.

India has won 35 Olympic medals, with shooter Abhinav Bindra (2008) and Neeraj Chopra (2021) being the only individual gold medallists. It's time to turn aspirations into achievements as the Games begin.