Olympics 2024: Neeraj Chopra saving grace for India in athletics at Paris

Expectations were high from India in athletics, since they had sent a contingent of 29 members.

Their highest ever in the history of the Olympics. Back in 1900, Norman Pritchard brought home two silver medals for British India. But since independence, India hasn’t quite made a name for themselves in the world of athletics.

Last year, for the first time, India went past the tally of 100 medals at the Asian Games. Out of them, the athletics team won 29 medals, including six golds, 14 silvers and nine bronze. With the number of participants going up in track and field events, India were expected to do better than previous editions of the Olympics.

But the story wasn’t any different from the previous editions.

How did India perform in the Paris Olympics?

The focus was on Neeraj Chopra, who won the gold medal in Tokyo with a best throw of 87.58 metres. He became the second Indian after Pritchard to win a medal in athletics. He had also joined Abhinav Bindra as one of the two athletes from India to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics.

Having won medals in the World Championships and the Diamond League, India’s golden boy was again expected to step up. Hence, eyes were on him and his performance at Stade de France. Out of his six throws, five turned out to be fouls, and it was evident that he was not at his very best.

But it needed only a solitary throw of 89.45 metres in his second attempt to put him into a bronze-medal winning position. Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic record of 92.97 metres turned out to be insurmountable for Neeraj, who is yet to cross the 90-metre mark.

Apart from Neeraj, none of the athletes could make a mark. Post independence, India are still looking for their second medallist in athletics apart from Neeraj. They have to wait for four years when the Los Angeles Olympics takes place to determine if India can broaden their horizons in athletics.

Any improvements from the Tokyo Olympics?
Back in the Tokyo Olympics, India had a smaller contingent, 16 in track and field events and two relay teams. Apart from Neeraj, only discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur made an impact after qualifying for the final. She finished in sixth spot with a best throw of 63.70 metres.

This time in Paris, keeping aside Neeraj, it was only Avinash Sable who took part in the finals of an event. Sable finished fifth in the heats of the men’s 3000-metre steeplechase. In the finals, he finished 11th with a timing of 8:14:18.

Shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor and race-walker Priyanka Goswami, who were both a part of the Indian contingent in Tokyo, could not step up in Paris either.

India have their fair share of joy in boxing, wrestling, badminton and hockey, but athletics hasn’t produced world-class prospects from India. Neeraj Chopra has taken Indian athletics forward, but he needs a helping hand going forward.