From Lakshya Sen to Aman Sehrawat - 5 Young Indian Athletes Who Promise more in Future at Paris Olympics 2024

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Paris Olympics 2024 has been a remarkable platform for Indian athletes to showcase their talent and determination on a global stage. Manu Bhaker turned out to be the best of the lot as India's lone double medallist from Paris. But this piece is looking beyond her and at young Indian athletes who promise more in the future.

From archers like Dhiraj Bommadevara and Bhajan Kaur to badminton star Lakshya Sen, these individuals have made significant strides in their respective sports. Here's a closer look at their performances and where they finished in the competition.

Dhiraj Bommadevara: The Archer with a Bullseye

Dhiraj Bommadevara, a 22-year-old archer from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, delivered an impressive performance at the Paris Olympics. He finished fourth in the men's individual archery ranking round with a total score of 681 out of 720.

His strong showing helped India advance to the quarterfinals of the team event. In the men's team event, Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav were defeated by Turkey 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

Alongside Ankita Bhakat, Bommadevara reached the mixed team semi-finals, a historic first for India in Olympic archery. The duo narrowly missed out on medals, finishing fourth.

Bhajan Kaur: The Rising Star of Indian Archery

Bhajan Kaur, at just 18 years old, also made her mark in the archery competition. She finished 22nd in the women's individual ranking round with a score of 659. In the Round of 16, she faced Indonesia's Diananda Choirunisa in a thrilling match that ended in a shoot-off.

Despite her valiant effort to come back from behind and force a tie, she ultimately lost in the shoot-off, finishing her Olympic journey but leaving a lasting impression as a promising talent in Indian archery.

Alongside Bommadevara, Ankita Bhakat reached the mixed team semi-finals, marking a historic first for India in Olympic archery. The pair fell just short of medals, ultimately finishing in fourth place.

Lakshya Sen: The Badminton Prodigy with a Fighting Spirit

Lakshya Sen's journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics was a mix of brilliance and disappointment. The Indian shuttler, emerging as a top contender, showcased his skills by reaching the men's singles semifinals.

Sen made history as the first Indian men's shuttler to reach the last four in Olympics. Sen's remarkable performance included a thrilling victory over Chou Tien-Chen of Chinese Taipei, with scores of 19-21, 21-15, and 21-12.

In the semifinals, Sen faced reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, who defeated him in a close 54-minute match. Sen then contended with Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia for the bronze but ultimately lost 21-13, 16-21, and 11-21.

Despite an impressive start and overcoming early challenges, Sen's campaign ended without a medal, marking India's first badminton medal-less Olympics in twelve years. Viktor Axelsen praised Sen's performance, predicting future success at the 2028 LA Olympics.

Reetika Hooda: The Wrestler Making Waves

Reetika, a young wrestler from Haryana, showcased her skills in the women's freestyle 57kg event. She was eliminated from the Paris Olympics after a narrow defeat to Kyrgyzstan's top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy in the women's 76kg freestyle quarter-finals on August 10.

The bout ended 1-1 on points, but Medet Kyzy won the match due to the last technical point rule. Hooda, unseeded and facing a formidable opponent, led briefly after earning a passivity point. However, Medet Kyzy equalized with her own passivity point.

Despite Hooda's aggressive efforts, Medet Kyzy's defensive tactics proved effective, allowing her to secure victory through the tie-breaker rule.

Aman Sehrawat: The Youngest Indian Olympic Medallist

Aman Sehrawat won bronze in the men's freestyle 57kg wrestling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming India's youngest medalist at the Summer Games at 21 years and 24 days. He surpassed PV Sindhu's record from the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Sehrawat, an Asian champion, defeated Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz 13-5 in the bronze medal match. This was India's first wrestling medal at Paris 2024 and their eighth Olympic medal in wrestling.

Aman had previously bested Ravi Kumar Dahiya in national trials to secure his spot. India now has one silver and five bronze medals at these Games, making Paris 2024 their second-most successful Olympics in terms of medals.

In the semi-finals, Aman lost to Rio 2016 silver medallist Rei Higuchi. Earlier, he secured wins over Vladimir Egorov and Zelimkhan Abakarov by technical superiority.