With just 10 days to go until the 2024 Paris Olympics, India’s elite athletes are in the final stages of their preparation. Here’s a look at the training and prospects of India’s top 10 medal hopefuls.
Neeraj Chopra
The reigning Olympic champion has been focusing on his fitness and has not competed since his victory at the Paavo Nurmi Games last month. Currently training in Saarbrücken, Germany, Neeraj is prioritizing his health over participating in competitions.
Vinesh Phogat
Vinesh recently triumphed at the Grand Prix of Spain, defeating Mariia Tiumerekova 10-5 in the final while competing in the 50kg category. This victory is a significant confidence booster as she prepares for the Olympics. She remains in Madrid for ongoing training.
PV Sindhu
Sindhu is aiming for a historic third consecutive Olympic medal and is also training in Saarbrücken with her coach Agus Dwi Santoso. She has drawn relatively easier opponents in the group stage, starting with Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba and Maldives’ Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq.
Satwik Chirag
The men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, also known as Sat-Chi, have not competed since the Singapore Open in May. Despite injury concerns, they are still among the favorites. They learned their Olympic draw recently and are grouped with formidable opponents, including Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Mohammad Ardianto.
Aditi Ashok
Aditi is competing in the Amundi Evian Championship in France, where she achieved her best finish of 2024 so far with a tied-17th place. Her scoring has improved over the past tournaments, averaging below 70 in three out of four recent events.
Men’s Hockey Team
After a brief camp in Bengaluru, the men’s hockey team has traveled to Switzerland for team-building activities and is currently training in the Netherlands. They finished seventh in the recent Pro League and are preparing to land in Paris on July 20.
Nikhat Zareen
Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen won her last competition, the Elorda Cup, in May and is training at the Olympic Centre in Saarbrücken. She will head to Paris on July 22, full of confidence.
Lovlina Borgohain
Lovlina, also part of the Saarbrücken training camp, earned a silver medal at the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in June. Her journey to Paris is particularly significant as she aims to overcome past losses against key rivals.
Sift Kaur Samra
Sift Kaur Samra and the rest of India’s rifle team departed from Delhi on Monday. Recently, she won a bronze medal at the Munich World Cup in the 50m rifle 3 positions event, narrowly missing silver by just 0.1 points.
As the Olympics approach, these athletes are poised to showcase their skills and aim for medals in Paris.
