Not bad, but not good enough: India’s campaign at the 2024 Olympics in Paris produced mixed feelings

This article originally appeared in The Field’s newsletter, Game Points, on August 14, 2024. Sign up here to get the newsletter directly delivered to your inbox every week.

The 2024 Paris Olympics concluded on Sunday with much pomp, passing on the duty of hosting the next Summer Games to Los Angeles. Amidst all the fanfare, the Indian flagbearers for the closing ceremony shooter Manu Bhaker and hockey goal keeper PR Sreejesh were all smiles, decked out in their official kit and waving the Indian flag with pride.

Bhaker had a brilliant Games, winning two bronze medals from three events, having reached the finals in all of them. Sreejesh capped off his international career with his second Olympic bronze.

But behind the smiles, the Indian contingent left the French capital with the lingering taste of disappointment.

Much like previous Olympic editions, Indian athletes are always besieged by over-the-top expectations as they head off to the Games. For many Indian athletes, such as sailor Vishnu Saravanan and rower Balraj Panwar, merely qualifying for the Olympics is a significant achievement considering the country’s standing in those sports.

However, for participants such as men’s badminton doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, their standing in their sport demanded a stronger showing than a quarter-final finish.

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