NEW DELHI: Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist, has praised the Indian contingent for their commendable performance at the Paris Olympics.
After the 142nd IOC session, where he received the prestigious Olympic Order, Bindra reflected on the team's efforts and expressed admiration for their competitiveness across various disciplines, despite securing six medals - one silver and five bronze - with a potential addition pending a verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification.
"I think it's been a spirited performance. All our athletes have performed at a high level," Bindra told IANS, emphasizing the significance of their efforts. "We may have six medals to show on our tally, but if you really go in-depth into performances, we have never had a Games where our athletes have been so competitive across disciplines, many of them have been close to medaling."
India's six official medals include three bronze medals from the shooting team, earned by Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and Swapnil Kusale. Bindra expressed particular pride in the shooting team's accomplishments, especially after two disappointing Olympic campaigns in Rio and Tokyo.
"It was fantastic, we have gone back with three medals after two blanks in Rio and Tokyo, and even the athletes who did not win came close - many of them made the finals. It was very encouraging," he noted.
In addition to the shooting medals, India's Olympic successes in Paris extended to a silver in javelin by Neeraj Chopra and bronze medals in men's hockey and men's freestyle wrestling (57 kg) by Aman Sehrawat.
Bindra's admiration highlights the significant progress India has made in various sports, marking the Paris Olympics as one of its most competitive performances in history.
1/7:India's Olympic closing ceremony flagbearers since 2008
Agencies
2/7:Vijender Singh
Vijender Singh, the bronze medallist for India in boxing, had the honour of carrying the Indian flag during the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.Agencies
3/7:Mary Kom
Mary Kom, a renowned Indian boxer, had the honor of being the flagbearer for her country at the London Olympics. Her exceptional skills and determination in the ring earned her a well-deserved bronze medal in the boxing competition.IANS
4/7:Sakshi Malik
Sakshi Malik, a wrestler from India, secured a bronze medal at the Olympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro. Her achievement was recognized by the nation, and she was bestowed with the honour of being India's flag bearer during the event.Agencies
5/7:Bajrang Punia
<p><br /><br />Bajrang Punia, a talented Indian wrestler, secured a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, a remarkable achievement for his country. His outstanding performance in the wrestling competition earned him the honour of being chosen as India's flag bearer during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Agencies
6/7:PR Sreejesh
<p><br /><br />Sreejesh, who has been a key figure in Indian hockey for many years, is set to bid farewell to the sport. He won bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and is set to be India's flagbearer.<br /><br /><br /></p>Reuters
