Paris Olympics 2024 is all set to kick off on July 26. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday announced that 117 athletes, including seven reserves, will be part of India’s contingent at the Games. While stars like Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Nikhat Zareen, Mirabai Chanu and Vinesh Phogat will be seen competing at the mega event, big names like Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia — who bagged silver and bronze medals respectively at Tokyo Olympics — failed to qualify for the tournament.

Here is the complete list of Indian athletes who qualified for Paris Olympics 2024 –

Athletics (27 +2)

Men:

Sarvesh Kushare – Men’s High Jump

Suraj Panwar – Marathon race walk mixed relay

Akshdeep Singh, Vikas Singh, Paramjeet Bisht – Men’s 20km Racewalk

Kishore Jena, Neeraj Chopra – Men’s Javelin Throw

Muhammed Anas, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, Santhosh Tamilarasan, Rajesh Ramesh – Men’s 4x400m Relay

Avinash Sable – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase

Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Men’s Shot Put

Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveel Chithravel – Men’s Triple Jump

Jeswin Aldrin – Men’s Long Jump

Women:

Annu Rani- Women’s Javelin Throw

Parul Chaudhary- Women’s 3000m Steeplechase, Women’s 5000m

Kiran Pahal – Women’s 400m, Women’s 4x400m relay

Jyothi Yarraji – Women’s 100m Hurdles

Ankita Dhyani – Women’s 5000m

Priyanka Goswami – Women’s 20km Racewalk, Marathon race walk mixed relay

Jyothika Sri Dandi, Subha Venkatesan, Vithya Ramraj, Poovamma MR- Women’s 4x400m relay

Athletics reserves –

Prachi, Mijo Chacko Kurian

Archery (6)

Men’s Recurve

Dhiraj Bommadevara

Tarundeep Rai

Pravin Jadhav

Women’s Recurve

Bhajan Kaur

Deepika Kumari

Ankita Bhakat

Badminton (7)

Men:

HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen – Singles

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty – Doubles

Women:

PV Sindhu – Singles

Ashwini Ponnappa, Tanisha Crasto – Doubles

Boxing (6)

Men:

Nishant Dev – 71kg

Amit Panghal – 51kg

Women:

Nikhat Zareen – 50kg

Preeti Pawar – 54kg

Jaismine Lamboria – 57kg

Lovlina Borgohain – 75kg

Equestrian (1)

Anush Agarwalla – Dressage

Golf (4)

Men:

Gaganjeet Bhullar

Shubhankar Sharma

Women:

Aditi Ashok

Diksha Dagar

Hockey (16 +3)

Men

Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh

Men’s hockey team reserves

Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak

Judo (1)

Tulika Maan – Women’s +78kg

Rowing (1)

Balraj Panwar – Men’s single scull

Sailing (2)

Men:

Vishnu Saravanan – Men’s dinghy

Women:

Nethra Kumanan – Women’s dinghy

Shooting (21)

Men:

Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta (10m Air Rifle M)

Aishwary Tomar, Swapnil Kusale (50m Rifle 3 Positions M)

Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Cheema (10m Air Pistol M)

Anish Bhanwal, Vijayveer Sidhu (25m RFP M)

Prithviraj Tondaiman – Men’s Trap

Anantjeet Singh Naruka – Men’s Skeet, Skeet Mixed Team

Women:

Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita (10m Air Rifle W)

Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil (50m Rifle 3 Positions W)

Rhythm Sangwan (10m Air Pistol W)

Manu Bhaker – (10m Air Pistol W, 25m Pistol W)

Esha Singh (25m Pistol W)

Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh – Women’s Trap

Maheshwari Chauhan – Women’s Skeet, Skeet Mixed Team

Raiza Dhillon – Women’s Skeet

Swimming (2)

Men:

Srihari Nataraj – Men’s 100m Backstroke

Women:

Dhinidhi Desinghu – Women’s 200m Freestyle

Table Tennis (6+2)

Men:

Sharath Kamal

Harmeet Desai

Manav Thakkar

Women:

Manika Batra

Sreeja Akula

Archana Kamath

Table tennis reserves

Sathiyan G, Ayhika Mukherjee

Tennis (3)

Rohan Bopanna, N Sriram Balaji – Men’s Doubles

Sumit Nagal – Men’s Singles

Weightlifting (1)

Mirabai Chanu – Women’s 49kg

Wrestling (6)

Men:

Aman Sehrawat – Men’s 57kg

Women:

Vinesh Phogat – Women’s 50kg

Antim Panghal – Women’s 53kg

Anshu Malik – Women’s 57kg

Nisha Dahiya – Women’s 68kg

Reetika Hooda- – Women’s 76kg

Indian wrestlers have delivered a medal every single time at the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing edition. Success in four consecutive editions has enhanced the status of wrestling as a prime Olympic sport in the country. There was success at junior level too. The sport also produced U23 world champions. It raised hopes of big success in Paris. It was Sushil Kumar who changed the way wrestling was perceived in the country by winning a bronze in 2008. He bettered his medal four years later in the London Games, where he fetched a silver. While Yogeshwar Dutt also won a bronze in the British capital.

Sakshi Malik carried forward the trend by bagging a bronze in Rio in 2016 and Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia made it a double delight in the delayed Tokyo Games (2021).

However, the sport which was soaring high and was expected to reach even greater heights, was brought down to earth by the prolonged protests against then Wrestling Federation of India chief by the country’s elite wrestlers.

National camps and domestic competitions came to a halt. Confusion prevailed. No one knew how or when normalcy would return. There were allegations and counter-arguments. WFI elections were held and the national body got suspended but finally when UWW lifted its suspension, things began moving.

Only one male and five female wrestlers qualified for the upcoming edition. There is hope, but doubts too.

PTI takes a look at the strength and weakness of all the six contenders.

AMAN SEHRAWAT (Men’s freestyle 50kg)

With his steady progress, Aman did what was unthinkable: replacing Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya, the most formidable Indian wrestler, in the men’s 57kg weight division.  Aman’s biggest strength is his stamina and endurance. If the bout lasts six minutes, it will be difficult to beat him.

However, what is lacking in his game is limited strategy and technique. It was evident when he was pitted against Rei Higuchi in the Ranking Series event in Hungary. He did not seem to have a plan B. At this stage, planing against each rival is key.

His biggest threats are Higuchi and Uzbekistan’s Gulomjon Abdullaev.

VINESH PHOGAT (Women’s 50kg)

Without doubt, Vinesh Phogat is one the best woman wrestlers that India has produced. A solid defence and equally impressive attack are her strengths.

However, what could trouble her is lack of quality mat time against top wrestlers in the last year or so.

Lowering the weight class to 50kg means more stress on her body. Cutting the weight cut ahead of the bout is a painful process, it sucks the energy out of the body and hers is an aging body. She is almost 30. Her natural body weight is about 55-56kg. Much would depend on how Vinesh copes with it.

In the recent Grand Prix of Spain, the weight relaxation was 2kg but that won’t be the case in Paris.

ANTIM PANGHAL (Women’s 53kg)

The firebrand wrestler from Hisar was first to lock a Paris Olympics quota. She also challenged Vinesh for a trial with her when the protest controversy was at its peak.

Her biggest strength is flexibility that allows her to wriggle out of her rivals’ grip pretty easily. It’s difficult to trap her. She has the spark and fire.

However, she has not competed since the Asian Games. A back injury forced her to miss the Asian Championship this year. The lack of mat time and competitive action could prove to be her bane.

ANSHU MALIK (Women’s 57kg)

Anshu’s career graph has not really taken off the way it was expected after her exploits on the junior circuit and the smooth transition to senior events. Injuries have troubled her and et she is one of the best bets in Paris for India.

Quick movement on the mat to go with an aggressive game style is Anshu’s biggest strength. She also has the experience of competing at the Olympics. She was not ready for the big stage in Tokyo as a teenager but now has a fair idea what is required in such a highly competitive field.

Her fitness, though, is a worrying aspect as she enters the Olympics with a suspected shoulder injury. She claims it’s just a neck spasm but she has not been tested.

NISHA DAHIYA (Women’s 68kg)

Away from the limelight, Nisha Dahiya has quietly made her way into Paris Games. She had shown promise early but injuries has halted her ascent. Reported dead wrongly in 2021, Nisha has managed to surprise quality rivals with her aggressive game style.

She is seasoned and her fearless approach is her biggest strength. Not having the exposure of competing at big events consistently is her weakness apart from losing steam in the fifth-sixth minute of the bout.

She tends to pour out everything in the first four minutes of her bouts and if an up-and-down bout lasts the distance, she gives away points easily. Handling nerves on debut will also be key.

REETIKA HOODA (Women’s 76kg)

Reetika has the capability to surprise her rivals. She is not exactly unknown in the circuit but can prove to be a tough nut to crack even for experienced wrestlers due to her explosive strength.

She has power and technique but has the habit to concede points in the last 30 seconds of the bout. Even if she builds a lead, she can end up losing those points. Probably losing focus in the fag end of bouts is her weakness.

Paris Olympics 2024 are just around the corner and the anticipation of the fans is increasing day by day. The quadrennial event will kick-start from July 26 and will conclude on August 11. A total of 117 athletes will be sent by India in their contingent, which includes the likes of two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. Athletics will nonetheless make for the biggest group in the contingent with 29 names (11 women and 18 men), followed by shooting (21) and hockey (19).

Ahead of the much-awaited Paris Olympics, let’s have a look at India’s schedule:

25th July, Thursday

Archery – Women’s Individual Ranking Round (1 pm) and Men’s Individual Ranking Round

26th July, Friday

Opening Ceremony

27th July, Saturday

Hockey– India v New Zealand

Badminton – Men’s Singles Group Stage, Women’s Singles Group Stage, Men’s Doubles Group Stage, Women’s Doubles Group Stage

Boxing- Prelims Round of 32 Rowing- Men’s Single Sculls Heats

Shooting- 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team qualification, 10m Air Rifle medal matches, 10m Air Pistol qualification, 10m Air Pistol qualification

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Singles Prelims, Round of 64 Tennis – 1st round matches – Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles

28th July, Sunday

Archery – Women’s Team Round of 16 to Finals

Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls Repechage round

Shooting – 10m Air Rifle Women’s Qualification, 10m Air Pistol Men’s Final, 10m Air Rifle Men’s Qualification, 10m Air Pistol Women’s Final

Swimming – Men’s 100m Backstroke Heats, Men’s 100m Backstroke semi-final, Women’s 200m Freestyle Heats, Women’s 200m Freestyle semi-final

29th July, Monday

Archery – Men’s Team Round of 16 to Finals

Hockey – India v Argentina (4:15 pm)

Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls semi-final E/F

Shooting – Trap Men’s Qualification, 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Qualification, 10m Air Rifle Women’s Final, 10m Air Rifle Men’s Final

Swimming – Men’s 100m Backstroke Final, Women’s 200m Freestyle Final

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Singles- Round of 64 & Round of 32 Tennis- 2nd round matches

30th July, Tuesday

Archery – Women’s Individual Round of 64 and Round of 32, Men’s Individual Round of 64 and Round of 32

Equestrian – Dressage Individual Day 1

Hockey – India v Ireland – 4:45 pm

Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls Quarter Finals

Shooting – Trap Women’s Qualification – Day 1, 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team medal matches, Trap Men’s Final

Tennis – Round 3 Matches

31st July, Wednesday

Boxing – Quarter Finals

Equestrian – Dressage Individual Day 2

Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls semi-final

Shooting – 50m Rifle 3 Pos. Men’s Qualification, Trap Women’s final

Table Tennis – Round of 16

Tennis – Men’s Doubles semi-finals

1st August, Thursday

Athletics – Men’s 20km Race Walk, Women’s 20km Race Walk (11 AM onwards)

Badminton – Men’s & Women’s Doubles quarter-final, Men’s & Women’s Singles Round of 16

Hockey – India v Belgium – 1:30 pm Golf – Men’s Round 1

Judo – Women’s 78+ kg Round of 32 to Finals

Rowing – Men’s Single Sculls semi-final A/B

Sailing – Men’s & Women’s Dinghy Race 1-10

Shooting – 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final, 50m Rifle 3 Pos. Women’s Qualification

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Singles quarter-final

Tennis – Men’s Singles quarter-final

2nd August, Friday

Archery – Mixed Team Round of 16 to Finals

Athletics – Men’s Shot Put Qualification

Badminton- Women’s Doubles semi-final, Men’s Doubles semi-final, Men’s Singles quarter-final

Hockey- India v Australia – 4:45 pm

Golf – Men’s Round 2 Rowing- Men’s Single Sculls Finals

Shooting – Skeet Men’s Qualification – Day 1, 25m Pistol Women’s Qualifiers, 50m Rifle 3 Positions Women’s Final

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Singles semi-final

Tennis – Men’s Singles semi-final, Men’s Doubles medal matches

3rd August, Saturday

Archery – Women’s Individual Round of 16 to Finals

Athletics – Men’s Shot Put Final

Badminton – Women’s Singles quarter-final, Women’s Doubles Medal matches

Boxing – Quarter Finals, Women’s 60kg – semi-final

Golf – Men’s Round 3

Shooting – Skeet Men’s Qualification – Day 2, Skeet Women’s Qualification – Day 1, 25m Pistol Women’s Final – Skeet Men’s Final

Table Tennis – Women’s Singles medal matches

Tennis – Men’s Singles medal matches

4th August, Sunday

Archery – Men’s Individual Round of 16 to Finals

Athletics – Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 (1:35 pm), Men’s Long Jump Qualification

Badminton – Women’s Singles semi-final, Men’s Singles semi-final, Men’s Doubles Medal matches

Boxing – semi-final

Equestrian – Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle

Hockey – Men’s Quarter Finals Golf- Men’s Round 4

Shooting – 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s Qual-Stage 1, Skeet Women’s Qualification – Day 2, Skeet Women’s Final

Table Tennis – Men’s Singles medal matches

5th August, Monday

Athletics – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Round 1, Women’s 5000m Final

Badminton – Women’s Singles medal matches), Men’s Singles medal matches

Shooting – Skeet Mixed Team Qualification, 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s Final, Skeet Mixed Team medal match

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Team Round of 16

Wrestling – Women’s 68 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final

6th August, Tuesday

Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw qualification, Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Final, Men’s Long Jump Final

Boxing – Semi-final, Women’s 60kg – Final

Hockey – Men’s semi-final

Sailing – Men’s & Women’s Dinghy medal race

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Team quarter-final

Wrestling – Women’s 68 kg semi-final to medal matches, Women’s 50 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final

7th August, Wednesday

Athletics – Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Final, Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay, Women’s 100m Hurdles Round 1, Women’s

Javelin Throw Qualification, Men’s High Jump Qualification), Men’s Triple Jump Qualification

Boxing – Men’s 63.5kg, Men’s 80kg Finals

Golf – Women’s Round 1

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Team quarter-final, Men’s Team semi-final

Weightlifting – Women’s 49 kg

Wrestling – Women’s 50 kg semi-final to medal matches, Women’s 53 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final

8th August, Thursday

Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw Final, Women’s 100m Hurdles Repechage, Women’s Shot Put qualification

Boxing – Men’s 51kg, Women’s 54kg Finals

Hockey – Men’s medal matches

Golf – Women’s Round 2

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s semi-final Wrestling- Women’s 57 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final, Women’s 53 kg semi-final to medal matches, Men’s 57 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final

9th August, Friday

Athletics – Women’s 4x400m Relay Round 1, Men’s 4x400m Relay Round 1, Women’s 100m Hurdles semi-final, Women’s Shot Put Final, Men’s Triple Jump Final

Boxing – Men’s 71kg, Women’s 50kg, Men’s 92kg, Women’s 66kg Finals

Golf – Women’s Round 3

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Team medal matches

Wrestling – Women’s 57 kg semi-final to medal matches, Men’s 57 kg semi-final to medal matches, Women’s 62 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final

10th August, Saturday

Athletics – Women’s 4x400m Relay Final, Men’s 4x400m Relay Final, Women’s 100m Hurdles Final, Women’s Javelin Throw Final, Men’s High Jump Final

Boxing – Women’s 57kg, Men’s 57kg, Women’s 75kg, Men’s +92kg Finals

Golf – Women’s Round 4

Table Tennis – Men’s & Women’s Team medal matches

Wrestling – Women’s 76 kg Round of 16 & quarter-final, Women’s 62 kg semi-final and medal matches

11th August, Sunday

Wrestling – Women’s 76 kg semi-final to medal matches

Archery: Women’s Individual Ranking Round (1 pm) and Men’s Individual Ranking Round

File image of Vinesh Phogat.© SAI

Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) have approved Asian Games gold medallist wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s proposal to include strength and conditioning coach Wayne Patrick Lombard for the international training camp in Hungary from June 10 to 21. “Vinesh, who will be competing in 50kg division in the Paris Olympics, had requested for assistance towards Lombard’s airfare, visa fees, board and lodging and local transport in Hungary,” the ministry release read. She will also be competing in the United World Wrestling 2nd Ranking Series – Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial from June 6 to 9 in Budapest.

“The MOC also cleared the Vinesh’s proposal for support to compete in Grand Prix of Spain from July 5 to 7 in Madrid. Her support team will include physiotherapist Ashwini Jeevan Patil, sparring partner Arvind and coach Woller Akos,” it added.

Further, the MOC approved Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra’s plan to train in Europe for 60 days from May 29 to July 28 along with coach Klaus Bartonietz and physio Ishaan Marwaha as preparation for Paris 2024.

Neeraj will be training in Kuortane (Finland) from May 29 to June 18. The javelin thrower will prepare for the Paris Olympic Games from June 19 to July 7 in Saarbrucken, Germany. Thereafter, the 26-year-old will be at the Gloria Sports Arena in Turkey from July 8.

“The financial assistance under TOPS will be covering the airfare, accommodation, meals, medical insurance, local transport expenses apart from Out-of-Pocket allowance as per Sports Authority of India norms,” the ministry said.

Long jumper Shaili Singh’s proposal to extend her training camp in Europe to June 23 was also approved by the MOC. Shaili will be training in Lisbon, Paris, Athens and Geneva along with coach Bobby George.

The MOC also cleared the request from shotgun shooters Rajeshwari Kumari and Maheshwari Chauhan to take their personal coaches to the training camp in Italy in June. Rajeshwari’s personal coach David Kostelecky will accompany the trap shooter to Italy from June 1 to 14. She will be competing in the ISSF World Cup, Lonato during the same period.

Maheshwari’s personal coach Riccardo Fillipelli will be training her from May 31 to June 11 , 2024. Maheshwari, who became the first Indian skeet shooter to win a quota for Paris Olympics, will also be in the ISSF World Cup Lonato from June 12 to 19, 2024.

MOC also okayed a request from 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games Badminton bronze medallist HS Prannoy for financial assistance to engage trainer Rohan George Mathews on a full-time basis from June 20 to July 22 in Hyderabad apart from availing the services of a centre that provides recovery products including Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy and Red Light therapy.

Maisnam Meiraba and Anupama Upadhyay’s proposal for support to compete in international tournaments has secured the MOC approval. While Maisnam will be seen in action in BWF Super 100 Kaohsiung Masters from June 16 to 24, Anupama will be competing in two events – BWF Super 500 Sathio Australia Open from June 8 to 16 and Kaohsiung Masters.

It also approved recurve archer Atanu Das’s request for monetary support towards two-month training at Army Sports Institute, Pune, from June 1 to August 5 along with coach Mim Gurung was also approved by the MOC.

Another TOPS Core group archer Aditya Choudhary’s request for assistance to procure various equipment has also been approved.

The request of sailor Vishnu Sarvanan to engage physio Sarath Lal for 40 days during his training camp in Marseille and para-powerlifter Ashok’s request to secure a wheelchair were also approved by the MOC.