Olympics

August 9, 2024 9:10 AM

Paris Olympics: “I gave my best, but it was Arshad’s day”: Neeraj Chopra reflects on missing gold

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who earned a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, said on Friday that while he gave his best, it was Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem's day to win gold. Chopra said it was time to assess his performance and focus on future improvements. "We all feel happy whenever we win a medal for the country. It's time to improve the game now. We will sit and discuss and enhance our performance," Chopra told. Chopra said that the competition was tough and that every athlete has their da...

August 9, 2024 9:11 AM

Paris Olympics: PM Modi hails Neeraj Chopra as “excellence personified” after silver medal

As Neeraj Chopra secured the silver medal in the men's javelin throw at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian athlete, calling him "excellence personified." Chopra, 26, fell short of retaining his gold medal, finishing with a best throw of 89.45 meters. Despite a strong performance on his second attempt, he struggled with four consecutive foul throws, which prevented him from winning gold. Chopra became the second male athlete from post-independence Ind...

August 8, 2024 8:21 AM

Vinesh Phogat announces retirement after Paris Olympics disqualification

Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from wrestling following her disqualification in the 50 kg freestyle wrestling final at the Paris Olympics. She shared her decision in an emotional post on X on Thursday morning. "Maa kushti (wrestling) won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream and my courage have been broken. I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness," Phogat said in her post. Phogat had advanced to the ...

July 10, 2024 12:48 PM

Olympics-India defend for the win to fulfil hockey gold dream

India broke a 41-year medal drought in Olympic men's hockey with a bronze in Tokyo three years ago, triggering hopes that a ninth gold medal for the once dominant power in the sport might be on the cards in Paris. The majority of India's titles were won in a different era, when the game was played on grass pitches, often after soccer matches, and neighbours Pakistan were also a medal-winning force. The age of the fast, flat astroturf has been dominated by three-times champions Germany with the...

June 17, 2024 10:42 AM

Olympics-Australia’s Wu dives in for fifth Games at Paris

Melissa Wu will hope to keep Australia in the diving medals at a seventh successive Olympics after claiming a spot on her fifth Games team for Paris. At 16, Wu became the country's youngest diver to win an Olympic medal with silver in the synchronised 10m platform event at the 2008 Beijing Games. Now 32, she will become Australia's first diver to compete at five Olympics after overcoming a number of injuries since the Tokyo Games. "It's a pretty incredible thing to achieve five Olympic teams,...

May 9, 2024 3:56 PM

Olympics – Neeraj Chopra says belief key to success in Paris Games

Olympic and world javelin champion Neeraj Chopra said Indian athletes have shown they can compete with the European powerhouses of the event and that the key to success at the Paris Games is maintaining their self-belief. European athletes had won 15 of the last 16 gold medals in the men's event before Chopra threw 87.58 metres at the Tokyo Games in 2021 to become the first Asian man to win an Olympic javelin title. The 26-year-old will defend his crown at the July 26-Aug. 11 Games and will be...

April 16, 2024 3:37 PM

Paris 2024 Olympics torch lit in ancient Olympia

The torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was lit in ancient Olympia in a traditional ceremony on Tuesday, marking the final stretch of the seven-year preparations for the Games' start on July 26. Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of high priestess, lit the torch using a backup flame instead of a parabolic mirror that is normally used, due to cloudy skies, for the start of a relay in Greece and France. It will culminate with the lighting of the Olympic flame in the French capi...