The Indian athletics team returned from the Paris Olympics 2024 with mixed results as top performers failed to replicate previous success on the biggest stage. Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was the lone medal winner, claiming a silver in a season-best effort. Steeplechaser Avinash Sable also finished a creditable 11th in the final, but the rest of the squad fell well short of expectations.
Defending champion Chopra threw 89.45m, just shy of the gold but still bettering his Tokyo Olympics-winning mark. It showed the class of the Olympic champion to peak under pressure. Athletics Federation President Sumariwalla praised Chopra’s consistency but said medals alone should not define success if processes are followed.
Apart from Neeraj and Sable, who became the first Indian man to qualify for a steeplechase final, no other athletes made the finals of their respective events. Pre-event hopes of multiple finalists and a potential second medal were not fulfilled. Javelin throwers Kishore Jena and Annu Rani along with hurdler Jyothi Yarraji could not match previous personal bests. Race walkers and marathon runners also failed to finish, while national record holders in the relays finished well off the pace.
Individual athletes underperformed shockingly in jumps events like long and triple jump where qualifying standards were within reach based on season bests. The overall below-par show raises questions about preparations and processes in the build-up if a collective dip was witnessed at the biggest sporting stage. Neeraj Chopra’s superb individual effort alone salvaged some pride for Indian athletics on the global stage.
