The Paris Olympics 2024 was a much-anticipated event for India, especially following the country’s record-breaking performance at the Tokyo Olympics just three years earlier. With a contingent of 117 athletes and soaring expectations, there was widespread optimism that India could potentially achieve a double-digit medal count for the first time in its Olympic history. However, despite several promising moments, the campaign ultimately fell short of these lofty expectations, concluding with a total of six medals—one silver and five bronze. This tally could potentially change if wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal for a silver medal is successful. Despite the disappointment, the Paris Olympics still marked India’s third-best performance at the Summer Games, following the successes of Tokyo 2020 and London 2012. Yet, the lack of medals in sports where India was considered a strong contender—such as archery, badminton, and boxing—left a sense of unfulfilled potential and raised questions about what went wrong.
India's archery team once again faced heartbreak at the Olympics, continuing a streak of near misses and unfulfilled aspirations. The team’s best chance at a medal came in the mixed team event, where they managed to reach the semifinals for the first time in Olympic history. However, despite this historic achievement, they narrowly missed out on a bronze medal, finishing fourth after a closely contested match against the USA. This outcome, while notable, was ultimately disappointing given the substantial time, resources, and effort invested in this sport, which has been prioritized for Olympic success.
Deepika Kumari, India’s star archer and one of the country’s most celebrated athletes, continued to struggle on the Olympic stage, unable to translate her considerable talent and experience into a medal-winning performance. Veteran archers Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav also failed to make a significant impact, leaving the team short of the podium once again. However, there were a few bright spots in the form of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat, who showed promise with their performances, while Bhajan Kaur also made some strides. Despite these individual efforts, the overall performance fell short of expectations, and the lack of a medal was a bitter pill to swallow for both the athletes and the fans. The federation, which has faced criticism for its management of the team, particularly regarding the absence of key personnel such as the high-performance director and the South Korean coach during the games, will need to address these issues to ensure better results in future competitions.
For the first time since 2008, India’s badminton team returned from the Olympics without a single medal, a stark contrast to the successes of previous Games. This was particularly surprising given the recent triumphs in team events, such as the Thomas Cup victory in 2022 and the Badminton Asia Team Championships in 2023. These achievements had raised hopes that Indian shuttlers would carry their momentum into the individual events at Paris 2024 and secure podium finishes. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Lakshya Sen came closest to securing a medal but ultimately fell short in the bronze medal match. After an impressive run that included a victory over Christie and a hard-fought win against fellow Indian player HS Prannoy, Sen appeared poised to reach the podium. However, he was outclassed by Viktor Axelsen in the semifinals and lost his momentum in the bronze medal match against Zii Jia of Malaysia. Despite a strong start, Sen saw a promising lead slip away as Zii Jia made a stunning comeback, leaving Sen just short of a medal despite being on the cusp of victory.
PV Sindhu, one of India’s most decorated badminton players with two Olympic medals to her name, was another major disappointment at the Paris Games. Sindhu, known for her remarkable performances in major tournaments, failed to add to her impressive collection of Olympic and World Championship medals. Her early exit was a significant blow to India’s medal hopes in badminton. Similarly, the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were considered top contenders for a gold medal, were unexpectedly knocked out in the quarterfinals by Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. The duo, who were seeded third in Paris and had been in excellent form leading up to the Games, were seen as strong medal contenders, but their journey ended prematurely, leaving Indian badminton fans disappointed.
HS Prannoy, who had shown promise in previous tournaments, could not live up to expectations in Paris, struggling to find his rhythm in the highly competitive environment. Meanwhile, the women’s doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa, who were seen as outside contenders for a medal, also fell short, with their performances not meeting the high expectations set by India’s recent successes in badminton.
India’s boxing contingent, which had high hopes going into the Paris Olympics, also faced a tough and ultimately disappointing campaign. Despite being tipped for medals, reigning world champions Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain failed to secure a place on the podium. The boxing team faced difficult draws, a challenge that was not uncommon at the Olympics, but one that they were unable to overcome.
Nishant Dev, another promising boxer, also saw his run end prematurely. While there were complaints about the judging, which has often been a contentious issue in Olympic boxing, the sport leaves little room for ambiguity, and the results stood as they were. The boxing federation has come under scrutiny for its selection policies, particularly after a poor performance at the Olympic qualification tournament. The decision to comply with the International Boxing Association (IBA) led to unfavorable seedings, which further complicated the boxers’ chances in Paris.
With boxing's exclusion from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the window for redemption for athletes like Nikhat Zareen may be narrowing. The federation is now facing calls for a comprehensive overhaul to better tap into the talent pool and ensure that India’s boxers can compete at the highest levels in future competitions. The potential for medals clearly exists within the boxing talent pool in India, but the challenges faced in Paris highlight the need for better preparation, strategy, and support.
Overall, while the Paris Olympics saw some bright spots for India, the missed opportunities in key sports like archery, badminton, and boxing have highlighted areas that require significant attention and improvement. The hope now is that lessons learned from Paris 2024 will lead to better preparation, stronger performances, and more consistent success in the future. The athletes have shown that they have the potential to compete at the highest levels, but turning that potential into podium finishes will require concerted efforts from all stakeholders involved in Indian sports.
