India at Paris Olympics 2024: 20 events to look forward to

By Muaz Siddiqui

Modified Jul 16, 2024 21:42 GMT

The 2024 Summer Olympics will feature 329 events in 32 sports, while Indian athletes will compete in 71 events across 16 different sports. India will look to match or better its medal tally of seven medals at the most recent edition.

Here, we look at 20 events with the highest probability of the Indian flag on the podium. Mark your schedule, as you wouldn't wish to miss Indian athletes in action in these events.

Men's Javelin Throw (Medal probability = 0.8): Unarguably the most anticipated event as far as the Indian audience is concerned, as Neeraj Chopra will look to defend his crown from Tokyo. His toughest challenge is expected from German Julian Weber, Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic, Anderson Peters of Grenada, and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan. Kishore Kumar Jena is also more than capable of springing a surprise at this event, even though his performances this year have been below par.

Men's doubles Badminton (Medal probability = 0.5): Ranked third in the world and reigning Asian Games champions, the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, or "Sat-Chi" as they're fondly known, aim to repeat their heroics from Hangzhou in Paris. The Path to Glory will be more difficult this time as they will have to overcome Danish pairs apart from the Asian powerhouses.

Women's 50 kg Boxing (Medal probability = 0.5): Two-time world champion and CWG gold medalist Nikhat Zareen is expected to put her best foot forward in the 50 kg division. The biggest obstacles in her path are likely to be created by the Chinese boxer Wu Yu and Turkish boxer Busenaz Cakiroglu. The Thai boxer Chuthamat Raksat is also dangerous, as Zareen defeated her in the world championships but lost in the Asian games, both being very close encounters.

Archery Men's Team (Medal probability = 0.4): The trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Ramesh Jadhav have shown that they are serious medal contenders by defeating powerhouse Korea recently at the Shanghai World Cup. They will have to control their nerves and avoid faltering on the big stage, something archers have been guilty of at the previous editions of the quadrennial event.

Women's 75 kg Boxing (Medal probability = 0.4): World champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain is once again expected to deliver on the biggest stage, though she will have to face stiff resistance from Chinese Li Qian, Canadian Tammara Thibeault, Atheyna Bylon of Panama, and Australian Caitlin Parker, among others.

Women's 53 kg Freestyle Wrestling (Medal probability = 0.4): World championship bronze medalist Antim Panghal couldn't have asked for a better draw as she will avoid all three (Akari Fujinami of Japan, Qianyu Pang of China, and Emma Malmgren of Sweden) till the final, as they are drawn in the opposite half. She is easily the best bet for a wrestling medal, something India has won in each of the last four editions of the Olympics.

Women's 49 kg Weightlifting (Medal probability = 0.3): Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu might not have shown her best form or fitness in recent competitions but is expected to level up her performance once the biggest stage arrives. Or at least the Indian fans will be hoping so, as she is still a medal prospect in her weight category.

Men's 57 kg Freestyle Wrestling (Medal probability = 0.3): Aman Sehrawat will look to emulate what Ravi Kumar Dahiya did three years ago in Tokyo, in the same weight category. His path to bring home a medal won't be easy, as he is drawn to play Armenia's Arsen Harutyunyan and Japan's Rei Higuchi, two very tough opponents who are in the same half as him.

Men's 51 kg Boxing (Medal probability = 0.3): Amit Panghal will have to overcome some tough boxers in his weight category if he is vying for an Olympic medal. Thai boxer Thitisan Panmot and Uzbek Hasanboy Dusmatov will be his toughest challengers, while Dominican, Brazilian, and Cuban boxers will not be pushovers either. He will also need some luck with the draw to bag that elusive medal.

Men's Field Hockey (Medal probability = 0.3): The Indian hockey team won its first medal after Moscow in 1980 at the last Olympics in Tokyo. Fans would be hoping that the team continues its good run in Paris as well, where it has to face stiff challenges from Australia and Belgium in the group stage. A strong performance in the group stage is needed for a favourable opponent in the quarterfinal, which will be the all-important match to have any shot at a medal.

Women's 50m Rifle 3P Shooting (Medal probability = 0.3): If India has to deliver a memorable performance in this edition of the Olympics, a lot depends on the form of the shooting contingent. The young shoulders of Sift Kaur Samra will be carrying a heavy burden of expectations, as the fans will hope that she repeats the world-record-breaking performance of the Asian games. Along with Samra, Anjum Moudgil will also be competing in this event.

Archery Mixed Team (Medal probability = 0.3): With Dhiraj Bommadevara and Deepika Kumari in reasonably good form before the Olympics, the possibility of a medal in a mixed team event can't be any higher. A strong performance is expected from both the archers in the ranking as well as the elimination rounds.

Men's singles Badminton (Medal probability = 0.1): HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen will be representing India in this event. The former has a comparatively easier draw in the group stage, while Lakshya has a tough task ahead of him in the form of world number 3 Jonatan Christie. Should both players win their group stage matches, they will square off in the round of 16.

Women's singles Badminton (Medal probability = 0.1): The nation will be banking on PV Sindhu once again in an event in which it has won a medal in each of the last three editions of the Olympics. Sindhu might not be in the best shape of her career, but we all know that one thing the two-time Olympic medallist doesn't lack is big-match temperament.

10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Shooting (Medal probability = 0.1): Sarabjot Singh will team up with Manu Bhaker, while Arjun Singh Cheema will partner Rhythm Sangwan in this event. The nation would be hoping for a medal from pistol shooters given their performances in the recent ISSF events.

10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Shooting (Medal probability = 0.1): Sandeep Singh will pair up with Elavenil Valarivan, while Arjun Babuta will partner Ramita Jindal in this event. India has a decent chance to win a medal if either of these pairs turn up on the competition day.

Men's doubles Tennis (Medal probability = 0.1): Rohan Bopanna's ranking of world no. 4 ensured that India got an entry in this event. After much consideration, Bopanna chose N. Sriram Balaji over Yuki Bhambri as his partner. The pair will also be playing a couple of ATP 500 events over the coming weeks to gear up for the Olympics.

Women's 50 kg Freestyle Wrestling (Medal probability = 0.1): Vinesh Phogat will look to secure her first Olympic medal in her third Olympic appearance. Having lost at the quarterfinal stage in both Rio and Tokyo, she looks determined for Paris, as she has won the Grand Prix of Spain wrestling tournament just days before the Olympics.

Men's 50m Rifle 3P Shooting (Medal probability = 0.1): Even though the quota was won by Akhil Sheoran, NRAI announced the name of Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar on the basis of selection trials. The other competitor in this competition is Swapnil Kusale; together, they will take on the Paris shooting range with the goal of bringing honor to the country.

Men's 25m RF Pistol Shooting (Medal probability = 0.1): Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu will participate in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event, the same event in which India won a silver at the London Olympics, courtesy of Vijay Kumar. The two shooters will be looking to repeat his feat in Paris in what is expected to be a very tough competition.