Paris Olympics: India returns home with 6 medals, including 1 silver and 5 bronze
Paris [France], August 12: Team India concluded their Paris Olympics campaign with a total of six medals, including one silver and five bronze. The country sent 117 athletes to compete across various events at the Games.
India placed 71st on the Paris Olympics medal tally, while the United States topped the chart with a total of 126 medals.
The Indian medal tally was kicked off by shooter Manu Bhaker, who won bronze, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal. Bhaker then made history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic edition, securing a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Sarabjot Singh.
Swapnil Kusale also contributed to India's medal count with a bronze in shooting. The Indian men's hockey team matched their Tokyo Olympics success with a bronze in Paris, and Neeraj Chopra became India's most successful individual Olympian by winning silver in the men's javelin throw.
Wrestler Aman Sehrawat made history as India's youngest Olympic medallist by securing a bronze in wrestling.
Despite these achievements, India experienced several close misses, with athletes finishing fourth in six events, including Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, and Manu Bhaker. Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification before the final added to the nation's disappointment.
Indian athletes competed in 69 medal events across 16 sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and tennis.
To date, India has won 41 Olympic medals. The country's Olympic journey began with Norman Pritchard's dual silver in the 1900 Paris Olympics. KD Jadhav was the first individual athlete from independent India to win an Olympic medal with a bronze in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal with a bronze in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.