India’s rising stars set to shine bright at Paris Olympics
As the highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics draws closer, India will be fielding a strong contingent of not just proven medal hopefuls but also a batch of promising debutants who are capable of springing big surprises. These emerging athletes have already shown glimpses of their immense potential on the global stage and will be looking to announce their arrival in style in Paris.
Some of the fresh faces who could light up the Olympics include shooters Sift Kaur Samra and Esha Singh, archer Dhiraj Bommadevara, boxer Preeti Sai Pawar, swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu, wrestlers Reetika Hooda and Antim Panghal, hockey midfielder Raj Kumar Pal, judoka Tulika Maan and table tennis sensation Sreeja Akula.
While it will be their first appearance at the mega quadrennial event, these athletes are no strangers to success. Samra is the defending Asian Games gold medallist in rifle shooting and also owns the world record. Shotgun prodigy Esha has shone consistently in recent competitions. Archer Bommadevara already has an Asiad medal and shooter Preeti comes from a powerhouse of a sporting state in Haryana.
Swimmer Dhinidhi, at 14, will be the youngest member of the contingent but has proven her mettle at senior nationals. Wrestlers Reetika and Antim have Worlds experience behind them despite their young age. Midfielder Raj and judoka Tulika have shown they can more than hold their own at the continental level. Table tennis superstar Sreeja is bidding to become the country’s first paddler to return with an Olympic medal.
With their hunger to achieve and skill level equivalent to seasoned players, this fresh batch is ready to stamp their class on sport’s greatest stage and could very well end India’s long wait for a summer Games gold. Under the bright lights of Paris, some of these rising stars are destined for glory.
