Paris Olympics 2024 is just a few days away and the Indian team is not leaving any opportunity to prepare themselves for the biggest multi-sporting event in the world across various sports that will feature in the Paris Olympics 2024. Following this Hockey India had also announced India’s squad for the Olympics a couple of days back. In this article, we will look at the five players who will be making their Olympic debut in the Paris Olympics 2024.

Five Players Who Will Make Their Debut In Paris Olympics

Jarmanpreet Singh

Jarmanpreet Singh who made his international,l debut in the year 2018 is all set to make his Olympic debut in the upcoming Olympic Games scheduled to start from July 26 in Paris. When asked about the readiness of the team for the Olympic Games Jarman said that the team is committed to one goal and will give their best to achieve it. 

In the words of Jarman “The whole team is pulling in the same direction, and I feel we are in good rhythm. It would be a matter of great pride for me and my family if I play in my first Olympic Games at the Paris 2024 Olympics—a dream come true. If I do get selected, my aim would still be to give my hundred percent for the team, as the team always comes first.”

Sanjay

After an impressive show in the Junior Hockey World Cup, the path for Sanjay to make his senior team debut seemed to have cleared which coincided with the retirement of corner specialist Rupindar Pal. But as they say, good things take time so has to Sanjay for his opportunity due to the amount of fierce that was on show for a place in the Indian team. 

It was not until the change in India’s head coach after the 2023 Hockey World Cup debacle which saw the arrival of Creg Fulton that Sanjay was selected in the main team for the Europe leg of the FIH Pro League and he hasn’t looked back since then.

Also Read: India Announces Hockey Squad For Olympic Games 2024

Sukhjeet Singh

Sukhjeet Singh who has made a name for himself as one of India’s reliable forwards since making his debut for the country in the 2021-22 season of the FIH Pro League has been a vital part of the team in many major tournaments like the Asian Games, Hockey World Cup 2023 and Asian Champions Trophy 2023 held in Chemmai.

Sukhjeet emphasizes the role of his father in shaping him as a player and supporting him during his low phase. Sukhijeet was introduced to the game of Hockey when he was four years old by his father who gave him a hockey stick.

Sukhjeet will represent India in his first Olympic games in Paris.

Raj Kumar Pal

Raj Kumar Pal who patrols the minefield for India on the turf is all set to make his Olympic Debut For India in Paris this year. Raj Kumar has delivered some solid performances for India since making his senior team debut in the year 2020. Talking after making his debut against Belgium Raj Kumar said “The way you start anything is very crucial and therefore I really wanted to get off to a good start in my international career. It was a dream come true for me when I got the chance to walk on the field with the Indian team for the match against Belgium in the FIH Hockey Pro League last year and I am really happy with the way things have panned out for me so far.”

Also Read: 3 Best Performances Of Lakshya Sen Ahead Of Paris Olympics 2024

Abhishek

Know for his indiscipline as a child Abhishek has become a crucial part of the team since making his international debut for India in the FIH Pro League last season. Since then he has been a regular feature of the Indian team. Abhishek has also got ascar on his left hand which extends to his forearm which is a sign of how undisciplined he was as a child.

Talking about the incident which led to the scar Abhishek said before CWG 2022. “Once during practice, our coach hadn’t arrived yet. Next to our ground, there was a jamun tree and we were plucking fruits. The wall next to it had glasses and barbed wire on the top and I fell and cut my hand on a piece of glass. I was scared my family wouldn’t even let me play hockey after that.” during an interaction before CWG 2022.

Hockey India has announced India’s squad for the Olympic Games 2024 scheduled to be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11. The Indian team led by Hamanpreet Singh gets a chance to go a step ahead and win the ultimate prize i.e. the gold medal in the upcoming Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Paris next month. India won the bronze medal in the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo which was the team’s first Olympic medal since the Moscow Olympic Games held in 1980.

The Team

If we talk about the Indian team that has been selected for the Olympics it comprises a good blend of youth and experience with players like captain Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh who will be keen to make his debut in the upcoming multination tournament, Amit Rohitdas, and Hardik Singh making the core of the team.

The Pool

India is placed in pool B which also includes the likes of defending champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, Australia, and Ireland.

Also Read: 3 Best Performances Of Lakshya Sen Ahead Of Paris Olympics 2024

Coach’s Corner

Talking about the team selected for the Olympic Games, Chief Coach Craig Fulton said, “The selection process for the Paris Olympics’ squad was incredibly competitive due to the depth of talent within our ranks, however, I am confident that every player chosen will bring their best to Paris. Each player selected has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and resilience throughout our rigorous preparation phase. Our journey has been marked by unwavering commitment to excellence and a collective drive to elevate Indian hockey on the world stage.”

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: How to Watch Tennis Matches Live – Streaming and Channel Details

Maintaining The Balance

He further said, “This squad embodies a perfect blend of experienced players and promising young talents, giving us the versatility and energy required to tackle the challenges ahead. Our focus has been on building a cohesive team that can adapt to different playing styles and situations, and I believe we have achieved that.”

The squad

Goalkeepers

Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran

Defenders

Jarmanpreet Singh

Amit Rohidas

Harmanpreet Singh

Sumit

Sanjay

Midfielders

Rajkumar Pal

Shamsher Singh

Manpreet Singh

Hardik Singh

Vivek Sagar Prasad

Forwards

Abhishek

Sukhjeet Singh

Lalit Kumar Upadhyay

Mandeep Singh

Gurjant Singh

Alternate Athletes

Nilakanta Sharma

Jugraj Singh

Krishan Bahadur Pathak

In a historic turn of events, India is all set to send a full six-member contingent to the Paris Olympics 2024 scheduled to start from July 26. This was made possible after the Indian archery men’s and women’s teams qualified for the Olympics, as per the updated rankings on Monday. The last time India sent a full archery contingent was in the 2012 Olympics held in London where the team competed in four events while the fifth event i.e. the mixed team event was included for the first time in Tokyo 2020.

The Chance

A team qualification guarantees a chance to participate in all the events that are a part of the Olympics as far as Archery as a sport is concerned.

“The archery contingent will leave on July 9 for acclimatization in Paris. We have good memories of Paris, hopefully, we can do it this time,” Indian high-performance director Sanjeeva Singh told PTI.

The Team

As far as the Indian squad is concerned it comprises 40-year-old Tarundeep Rai and former world No. 1 Deepika Kumari who will be making her fourth Olympic appearance. Dhiraj Bommadevara, Ankita Bhakat, and Bhajan Kaur will make their Olympic debuts, while Pravin Jadhav will make his second Olympic Games in succession after making his debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. If we talk about Deepika the experienced archer has won a Gold medal in World Cup 2021 in Paris and a Bronze Medal in the 2013 World Cup.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Full Schedule And Pools Revealed For Rugby Sevens Competition

The Plan

“As of now, the members will shift base to the Army Sports Institute in Pune for a two-week camp, simulating Olympic atmosphere, something they had done before the Tokyo Games too,” Singh said.

Also Read: 3 Best Performances Of Vinesh Phogat Ahead Of Paris Olympics 2024

The Schedule

Archery events in the Paris Olympics will be a nine-day long event with the qualification round starting on July 25 followed by men’s and women’s event medal events on July 28 and 29 respectively.

India squad

Men: Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Pravin Jadhav.

Women: Deepika Kumari, Bhajan Kaur and Ankita Bhakat.

Coaches: Baek Woongki, Poornima Mahato, and Sonam Tshering Bhutia.

The Indian Cricket Team is all set to take on fierce rival Australia in their last game of the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. The match promises to be a keenly contested battle between bat and ball with both teams comprising of match winners in all three departments of the game.

In this article, we will look at three players to watch out for in the highly anticipated clash between India and Australia in the Super Eight clash of the T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup: Players To Watch Out For India vs Australia

Pat Cummins

The ODI World Cup winning captain has been in magnificent form in the ongoing T20 World Cup where the fast bowler has picked up wickets in lumps including a couple of hat tricks against Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Australia’s previous two matches in the second round i.e. the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup.

The Performance

With the game against India being a must-win one for the defending ODI World Cup champion Pat Cummins needs to set up once again for the Aussies to keep the team’s hopes of making it to the semi-final alive.

Also Read: List of cricketers with highest strike rate in T20 cricket

Kuldeep Yadav

The left-arm leg spinner or Chinaman as he is commonly known around the world of Cricket, Kulddep Yadfav has been in magnificent form since he played his first match in this T20 World Cup 2024. The left-arm leg spinner kicked off his tournament in India’s first match of the Super Eight clash against Afghanistan with a decent outing and continued the momentum he gained against Bangladesh in India’s second match against Afghanistan in Antingua where he picked up three wickets helping India register a commanding over their neighbors.

Also Read: T20 World Cup: Who fits better, Pant or Samson?

Virat Kohli

The former Indian captain was in magnificent form just before the T20 World Cup as he scored more than 700 runs in the last edition of the Indian Premier League. Since then he hasn’t been able to contribute much with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

The Hope

Having said that the right-hander has shown signs of returning to form in the Super Eight stage of the competition with scores of 24 and 37 against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Rohit Sharma-led side would hope for Kohli to put up a solid show with the bat in the crucial Super Eight clash against Australia in the T20 World Cup.

Deepa Malik the first Indian Para athlete to win a Paralympic medal has expressed her wish to see India win at least 25 to 30 medals in the upcoming Paralympic Games. Deepa Malik also said that India’s performance in the Paralympics has improved over the years and the Indian athletes are expected to excel once again at the Paralympics.

Deepa Malik Confident Of India’s Performance In Paralympic

The Optimism

In the words of Deepa Malik “In the 2012 London Paralympics, no woman represented India, and we secured only one medal. In the 2016 Rio Paralympics, 19 athletes represented the country in five sports disciplines, and we won four medals. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, three women won medals, and our 54-member contingent brought home 19 medals,” Malik was quoted as saying by The Bridge.

The Stint

Talking about her stint as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India from 2020 to 2024 Deepa Malik said that the Indian contingent has grown in numbers in the last few editions of the Paralympics and she expects at least 25 to 30 medals this time around.

According to Deepa Malik “Until March, I was the PCI president, so I can’t shy away from my responsibility. I am tracking the progress of our para-athletes and expect 25-30 medals in Paris,” she added.

Also Read: 5 Best Performances Of Mirabai Chanu Ahead Of Paris Olympics 2024

The Future

Deepa Malik sounded hopeful while talking about the future of para-athletes in India due to the increased amount of commitment from the sponsors and growth in the overall Indian contingent as it is quite encouraging as far as the growth of the sports for para-athletes is concerned. Reaction on the same Deepa Malik said “With a total of 12 sports and a squad of 80-plus athletes, the graph is going up for India. It is a good time for para-athletes,” she concluded.

Also Read: India Plans To Get Yogasana Included In Olympics Before 2036

The Performance

If we talk about Deepa Malik’s performance on the international stage the former PCI president was the first Indian woman para-athlete to win a medal at the Paralympics game in Rio in the year 2016. Deepa Malik also won numerous titles at the World Championships alongside winning a Gold medal at the Para Athletic Grand Prix in the F-53/54 Javelin event. Deepa Malik was also conferred with the prestigious Padam Shree Award in 2017.

India has announced a strong squad for the Paris Olympics 2024 scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. The squad consists of a good blend of young and experienced players who are ready to make their name in the biggest multi-sporting event in the world some of the names include Manku Bhakar and Esha Singh both of whom will be crucial for India’s chances in this particular discipline.

Although India has chosen the best possible squad there are certain players who have missed the chance to earn an Olympic quota.

In this blog, we will look at three Indian shooters who missed out on earning an Olympic quota.

3 Indian Shooters Who Missed Out on Earning an Olympic Quota

Akhil Sherom

Akhil Sherom is one of the shooters who missed out on the opportunity to get on the plane to Paris. Supported by the Olympic Gold Quest it was a surprise for everyone to see Akhil’s name being excluded from the squad given the fact that the shooter who competed in the 50m rifle discipline earned the Olympic qualification last year itself and performed well in the last one year. Akhil won the bronze medal in the Cairo World Cup held in January this year and followed it up by surpassing Jiri Privratsky’s world record in the Polish Grand Prix two months later in March.

Tilottama Sen

The 16-year-old Tilotama was the talk of the town when she won the silver medal in the 2023 World Cup in the 10 m air rifle shooting discipline. She also won the silver medal in the Asian Shooting Championship held in South Korea which raised her hopes of bagging an Olympic quota.

Also Read: India Plans To Get Yogasana Included In Olympic Before 2036

The Missed Chance

Sen could have become the third youngest athlete to represent India at the Olympics but she failed to make the cut in the selection trials held in Bhopal in May.

Also Read: 5 Best Performances Of Mirabai Chanu Ahead Of Paris Olympics 2024

Rudrankksh Patil

The third shooter who failed to earn an Olympic berth is Rudrankksh Patil. Patil who happens to be a former World No.1 shooter created a new world record in the Asian Games 2023 when he was just 19 years old. Along with it he also won a gold medal in World Cup 2023 and in the World Championship held in 2022.

Yoga is among the oldest particles to be originated in India it has gained global recognition in the last decade or so with almost every country realising how beneficial it is for an individual’s mental and physical health. The practice helps us to keep our body fit and mind free from unnecessary stress which has become quite common these days.

Now in a bid to increase the mass appeal of Yoga the Indian authorities have been pushing hard to include Yogasana in the Olympics.

India Plans To Get Yogasana Included In Olympics Before 2036

The Preparation

India will possibly host the 2036 Olympics and the goal is to get Yogasana included in that particular edition of the global sporting event. The Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry is working on including an AI-based system to asses Yogasana so that the possibility of any error taking place is eliminated Ayush secretary Rajesh Kotecha said at an event.

The Plan

In the words of Rajesh Kotecha “The Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry has recognised yogasana — not yoga (the practices inclusive of the spiritual aspects) — as a separate sport. It has already been included in Khelo India, university games, and school games. The plan is to identify several teams and by November start in a big way,” he said.

Also Read: Sumit Nagal Qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024 and Advances in ATP Challenger

What They Said?

“This is towards the goal of getting yogasana recognised as an Olympic sport before 2036 when India may host the games,” he concluded

Also Read: Tennis Rules and Regulations For the Paris Olympics 2024

The Aim

International Yoga Day is celebrated on 21 Jue every year to promote the practice of Yoga, especially among the youth all over the world to make them familiar with the Indian culture and the richness it holds in store for individuals all around the world. Like always India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform Yogasana on International Yoga Day on June 21 along with Minister of State (independent charge) Prataprao Jadav and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.  in Srinagar.

It was a big moment for shooter Esha Sngh as she was selected for India’s 25m pistol shooting team that is going to represent India at the Paris Olympics 2024 which is scheduled to start on July 26—this year.

The Performance

Esha fell just behind Manu Bhaker to finish number two in the four trials conducted in May.

Reacting to her selection, Esha highlighted his father Sachin Singh’s role in keeping her mentally fresh in between tournaments. Sachin who himself is a rally driver knows what it takes to keep a player’s mind fresh and that is the reason she often takes Esha to the mall for shopping as he knows shopping is his daughter’s escape from the grinding world of sports.

The Role

In the words of Esha “If he finds me overthinking, he’ll take me to the mall,” said Esha Singh to Scroll. “I’d get annoyed because he’s forcing me to go, but eventually I realise I’m actually feeling better.”

The trials weren’t easy as they included quality and experienced shooters like Manu Bhakar against who the 19-year-old Esha was competing for a chance to represent her country in the biggest sporting event in the world

“The trials were tougher than the Olympic Games itself,” said Esha Singh’s coach Ronak Pandit, who is also the chief national coach for pistol “[At the Olympics] you know you are there, but in the trials, there is a chance that the effort of the last four years, of making the cut, could go down the drain. The tension was palpable, you could feel it.”

Photo Source: Firstpost

Also Read: Indian Mixed Relay Team Blazes to Gold at Asian Championships

The Pressure

Talking about the pressure that Esha faced during trials the 19-year-old said that it was nice to get the feel of the pressure a shooter can go through in a global sporting event like the Olympics as it helps you prepare yourself. “In a way, it was good because you got to see what kind of pressure your mind goes through in these matches, and what is your performance during that,” she said. “This was good prep before the Olympics.”

The Grind

Talking about her training leading to the trials Esha said “In my personal training sessions [outside of the national camp], earlier I would take 100-120 shots in 10m then the same in 25m. Now, if I’m feeling good after 50 shots, that’s good enough for me.”

“I crossed his tally a long time ago, maybe I have double what he has,” she said, laughing.

The Competition

If we talk about the fierce battle for a place in the team while senior player like Manu Bhaker was the outright winner Esha found an unusual competitor in Rythm Sangwan who had already booked a spot in the team but Esha came out on top.

Photo Source: ETV Bharat

The Trials

The selection which had to be done in four rounds had Esha dropping two of her five shots and had a shaky start but made a solid comeback and scored 586 her best score in four rounds and defeated Rythm. Esha’s performance in the trials made her selection a mathematical certainty and ended up with a score of 584.07.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024 Hit By Prize Money Row

The Preparation

If we talk about Esha’s preparation the shooter has been made to grind the hard way since the very beginning as she was the youngest player in the Asian Games 2018 at the age of 18. She also delivered a stellar performance in the 2018 National Championship when she was just 13.

The Chance

Apart from her selection in the 25 M rifle shooting Esha has a chance to represent the team in the 10 M team as well as she is all set to take part in the selection trials of the 10 M air pistol.

The Denver Broncos ended their season on a winning note, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 16-9 at Empower Field on Sunday. However, the victory was bittersweet as Denver’s 8-8 record meant they were eliminated from playoff contention.

In his first start in nearly a year, Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham threw for 224 yards and a touchdown while filling in for the injured Russell Wilson. Stidham led several long drives that resulted in field goals.

The Broncos’ faint playoff hopes were dashed earlier in the day when the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, closing the door on Denver winning the AFC West division title. The Kansas City Chiefs had already clinched the division crown.

In a defensive battle, both teams relied heavily on their kickers. Chargers kicker Cameron Lutz made three field goals while Brandon McManus made three for Denver. A potential game-tying 50-yard field goal try by Chargers kicker Dustin Hopkins was blocked with 6:19 left in the fourth quarter.

While the Broncos ended on a positive note, their up-and-down season kept them out of the postseason. The win gave Denver a 6-3 record after the bye week but the inconsistent play early in the year proved too much to overcome.

The 2023-24 NFL playoff bracket is taking shape as Week 17 unfolds. Seven teams have already secured a spot in the playoffs, and up to six more can do so by the end of Week 17. The final playoff picture will be determined after Week 18. The New Year will bring further clarity to the playoff picture, with the Browns having clinched a playoff berth, and the 49ers potentially impacting the seeding. The updated playoff bracket as of December 31st is as follows:

NFC playoff bracket:

• #1 San Francisco 49ers (11-4) — BYE
• #2 Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) vs. #7 Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
• #3 Detroit Lions (11-5) vs. #6 Los Angeles Rams (8-7)
• #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) vs. #5 Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

AFC playoff bracket:

• #1 Baltimore Ravens (12-3) — BYE
• #2 Miami Dolphins (11-4) vs. #7 Indianapolis Colts (8-7)

The playoff bracket will be finalized at the close of Week 18, with several key games set to determine the remaining seedings and playoff spots.