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India's greatest moments at the Olympics in images: From the hockey legends of the past to Neeraj Chopra

Updated On Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

India's best athletes are gearing up to take centre stage at the Paris Olympics in a bid to improve on the country's record showing at Tokyo 2020

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India officially joined the Olympic Movement ahead of the 1920 Summer Olympics, and participated as an independent nation for the first time in 1948. Over the years, the country has won a total of 35 medals - 10 gold, nine silver and 16 bronze. A majority of these have come in this century, with Indians winning more medals in the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics than in all of the previous Games put together. It has to be noted, though, that eight out of the 10 gold medals were won by the Indian men's hockey team between 1928 and 1980. (Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

India officially joined the Olympic Movement ahead of the 1920 Summer Olympics, and participated as an independent nation for the first time in 1948. Over the years, the country has won a total of 35 medals - 10 gold, nine silver and 16 bronze. A majority of these have come in this century, with Indians winning more medals in the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics than in all of the previous Games put together. It has to be noted, though, that eight out of the 10 gold medals were won by the Indian men's hockey team between 1928 and 1980. (Getty Images)

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India's first-ever medal was the gold by the men's hockey team at the 1928 Antwerp Olympics. A young Dhyan Chand, who won the first of three gold medals at Antwerp 1928, can be seen in this image, kneeling down first from right. It was the team's maiden appearance at the Olympics and it started a streak of gold medals that would last until the 1956 Olympics, when India lost in the gold medal match to Pakistan. India topped a group that consisted of Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria. The Netherlands faced them in the final, having topped the other group that consisted of Germany, France and Spain and India won the match 3-0. Hockey was the only sport where India got medals at the Olympics for several years until the 1952 Olympics when wrestler KD Jadhav won bronze and thus became the first individual medallist to represent independent India. After India missed out on gold in 1960 to Pakistan, they won it back in 1964 but then finished with bronze medals in 1968 and 1972. India then won gold in 1980 and then didn't win any Olympic medals at all until 2021. (Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

India's first-ever medal was the gold by the men's hockey team at the 1928 Antwerp Olympics. A young Dhyan Chand, who won the first of three gold medals at Antwerp 1928, can be seen in this image, kneeling down first from right. It was the team's maiden appearance at the Olympics and it started a streak of gold medals that would last until the 1956 Olympics, when India lost in the gold medal match to Pakistan. India topped a group that consisted of Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria. The Netherlands faced them in the final, having topped the other group that consisted of Germany, France and Spain and India won the match 3-0. Hockey was the only sport where India got medals at the Olympics for several years until the 1952 Olympics when wrestler KD Jadhav won bronze and thus became the first individual medallist to represent independent India. After India missed out on gold in 1960 to Pakistan, they won it back in 1964 but then finished with bronze medals in 1968 and 1972. India then won gold in 1980 and then didn't win any Olympic medals at all until 2021. (Getty Images)

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While this may not be an event where an Indian won a medal, it is one of the great ‘what if’ moments of Indian sport. Milkha Singh was a favourite to finish on the podium in men's 400m going into the 1960 Olympics, having won gold at the 1958 Asian Games. He led the race for the first half but then eased off. It ended up becoming a photo-finish between Singh and South Africa's Malcolm Spence for bronze. Milkha finished with a time of 45.6 seconds while Spence registered 45.5 and the Indian thus missed out on a podium. (Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

While this may not be an event where an Indian won a medal, it is one of the great ‘what if’ moments of Indian sport. Milkha Singh was a favourite to finish on the podium in men's 400m going into the 1960 Olympics, having won gold at the 1958 Asian Games. He led the race for the first half but then eased off. It ended up becoming a photo-finish between Singh and South Africa's Malcolm Spence for bronze. Milkha finished with a time of 45.6 seconds while Spence registered 45.5 and the Indian thus missed out on a podium. (Getty Images)

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The hockey medals dried up after 1980, and India returned empty-handed at LA 1984, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992. That run was ended by tennis great Leander Paes when he won bronze at Atlanta 1996. Paes lost in the semi-finals to eventual gold medal winner Andre Agassi and faced Brazil's Fernando Meligeni in the bronze medal match. He won 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.(Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

The hockey medals dried up after 1980, and India returned empty-handed at LA 1984, Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992. That run was ended by tennis great Leander Paes when he won bronze at Atlanta 1996. Paes lost in the semi-finals to eventual gold medal winner Andre Agassi and faced Brazil's Fernando Meligeni in the bronze medal match. He won 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.(Getty Images)

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Karnam Malleswari made history at Sydney 2000 by winning a bronze in weightlifting and becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. Malleswari competed in the women's 69kg category and managed to lift a best weight of 110.0kg in snatch and 130.0kg in clean and jerk. She thus finished with a total of 240.0kg, putting herself well clear of fourth spot.(Getty Images )

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Karnam Malleswari made history at Sydney 2000 by winning a bronze in weightlifting and becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. Malleswari competed in the women's 69kg category and managed to lift a best weight of 110.0kg in snatch and 130.0kg in clean and jerk. She thus finished with a total of 240.0kg, putting herself well clear of fourth spot.(Getty Images )

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Abhinav Bindra set a new standard of success for Indians at the Olympics by clinching gold at Beijing 2008. He was the first Indian individual Olympic medallist since KD Jadhav in 1952 and the first Indian individual gold medallist ever. Bindra had to battle with a dodgy gun sight during the five-minute sighting time before the finals but during the competition itself, he was cool as ice. Finland's Henri Häkkinen was level with Bindra till the final shot but fell short at the crucial time and scored 9.7 of his final shot. The Indian, meanwhile, shot a near-perfect 10.8. The result caused Hakkinen to slip to bronze medal with China's Zhu Qinan taking silver. Bindra finished with a total score of 700.5 and his calmness broke after his last shot as he let out a roar.(Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Abhinav Bindra set a new standard of success for Indians at the Olympics by clinching gold at Beijing 2008. He was the first Indian individual Olympic medallist since KD Jadhav in 1952 and the first Indian individual gold medallist ever. Bindra had to battle with a dodgy gun sight during the five-minute sighting time before the finals but during the competition itself, he was cool as ice. Finland's Henri Häkkinen was level with Bindra till the final shot but fell short at the crucial time and scored 9.7 of his final shot. The Indian, meanwhile, shot a near-perfect 10.8. The result caused Hakkinen to slip to bronze medal with China's Zhu Qinan taking silver. Bindra finished with a total score of 700.5 and his calmness broke after his last shot as he let out a roar.(Getty Images)

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Bindra's gold was joined by bronze medals from the wrestling mat by Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. Four years later, Sushil became the first Indian to win medals at consecutive medals by bettering the bronze he won in Beijing to silver in men's 66kg wrestling. (AFP)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Bindra's gold was joined by bronze medals from the wrestling mat by Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. Four years later, Sushil became the first Indian to win medals at consecutive medals by bettering the bronze he won in Beijing to silver in men's 66kg wrestling. (AFP)

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Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton. Despite not being in peak condition, Saina Nehwal cruised through the group stage of the main event. She then bossed her round of 16 match against China-born Dutch player Yao Jie. She then had to dig deep in the quarterfinals, beating Denmark's Tine Baun  21-15, 22-20. She then lost to China's Wang Yihan but then won the bronze medal match, with her opponent Wang Xin of China having to retire halfway through the match. (Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton. Despite not being in peak condition, Saina Nehwal cruised through the group stage of the main event. She then bossed her round of 16 match against China-born Dutch player Yao Jie. She then had to dig deep in the quarterfinals, beating Denmark's Tine Baun 21-15, 22-20. She then lost to China's Wang Yihan but then won the bronze medal match, with her opponent Wang Xin of China having to retire halfway through the match. (Getty Images)

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Saina wasn't alone for too long in the list of Olympic medallists among Indian badminton players. PV Sindhu beat London silver medallist Wang Yihan on her way to the semis where beat sixth seeded Japanese star Nozomi Okuhara and stormed into the gold medal match. It was an epic of a final that she played against Spaniard Carolina Marin and she ended on the losing side. Sindhu thus became the first Indian woman to win an individual silver medal. At Tokyo 2020, Sindhu lost in the semis but won the bronze medal, thus becoming the second Indian after Sushil Kumar to win medals at consecutive Olympics.(Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Saina wasn't alone for too long in the list of Olympic medallists among Indian badminton players. PV Sindhu beat London silver medallist Wang Yihan on her way to the semis where beat sixth seeded Japanese star Nozomi Okuhara and stormed into the gold medal match. It was an epic of a final that she played against Spaniard Carolina Marin and she ended on the losing side. Sindhu thus became the first Indian woman to win an individual silver medal. At Tokyo 2020, Sindhu lost in the semis but won the bronze medal, thus becoming the second Indian after Sushil Kumar to win medals at consecutive Olympics.(Getty Images)

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The Tokyo Olympics also marked the end of India's empty run in hockey, with the men's team winning bronze in stunning fashion. India faced Germany and the latter took the lead in the second minute itself. Simranjeet Singh equalised for India in the 17th minute, only for Germany to take the lead again just seven minutes later. Germany then scored a third goal in the 25th minute but India's Hardik Singh got a goal back for his team just two minutes later. Harmanpreet Singh then sensationally equalised in the 39th minute, followed by goals from Rupinder Singh and and Simranjeet. India led 5-3 but Germany scored in 48th minute. It set up a tense finale as India defended for their lives and finally won 5-4. (Hockey India)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

The Tokyo Olympics also marked the end of India's empty run in hockey, with the men's team winning bronze in stunning fashion. India faced Germany and the latter took the lead in the second minute itself. Simranjeet Singh equalised for India in the 17th minute, only for Germany to take the lead again just seven minutes later. Germany then scored a third goal in the 25th minute but India's Hardik Singh got a goal back for his team just two minutes later. Harmanpreet Singh then sensationally equalised in the 39th minute, followed by goals from Rupinder Singh and and Simranjeet. India led 5-3 but Germany scored in 48th minute. It set up a tense finale as India defended for their lives and finally won 5-4. (Hockey India)

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Capping off the historic Tokyo Olympics for India was the country's javelin golden boy Neeraj Chopra. Neeraj had womn gold at the Asian Games and Commomnwealth Games before this but was not exactly a favourite to win the yellow metal in Tokyo, primarily due to the presence German Johannes Vetter. However, Neeraj managed a best throw of 86.65m in his very first attempt and Vetter finished with a throw of 85.64m with his last. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem won bronze with a throw of 85.16m. Neeraj thus became just the second Indian to win an individual gold at the Olympics after Abhinav Bindra and the first in the country's independent history to win any kind of medals at the Games in track and field. (Getty Images)

Updated on Jul 05, 2024 10:35 PM IST

Capping off the historic Tokyo Olympics for India was the country's javelin golden boy Neeraj Chopra. Neeraj had womn gold at the Asian Games and Commomnwealth Games before this but was not exactly a favourite to win the yellow metal in Tokyo, primarily due to the presence German Johannes Vetter. However, Neeraj managed a best throw of 86.65m in his very first attempt and Vetter finished with a throw of 85.64m with his last. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem won bronze with a throw of 85.16m. Neeraj thus became just the second Indian to win an individual gold at the Olympics after Abhinav Bindra and the first in the country's independent history to win any kind of medals at the Games in track and field. (Getty Images)

News / Photos / Sports Photos / India's greatest moments at the Olympics in images: From the hockey legends of the past to Neeraj Chopra

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