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Yuvaraja Karunakaran

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A Look At The Youngest And Oldest Indian Athletes At 2024 Olympic Games

A Look At The Youngest And Oldest Indian Athletes At 2024 Olympic Games

A look at the youngest and oldest Indian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games

The Paris Olympics are just 7 days away. The 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games is set to be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11 this year. Indian fans are eagerly awaiting the performance of their favourite athletes. The Indian team, featuring a mix of youth and experience, spans a 30-year age gap, from 14-year-old swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu to 44-year-old tennis player Rohan Bopanna. After winning 7 medals in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, comprising 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze Medals, the Indian contingent will definitely be looking to improve their medal tally to set new world records in Olympic Games history. In this blog piece, we take a look at the youngest and oldest Indian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games.

All you need to know about the youngest and oldest Indian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games

Indian athletes are preparing hard to give their best at the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, scheduled from July 26 to August 11. A total of 117 athletes have qualified to participate in 14 sporting events at the quadrennial multi-sport event in Paris. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has also released India's Paris Olympics schedule. India begins their campaign on July 25, a day before the opening ceremony in Paris, with the individual archery rounds. However, the first medal event will start on Saturday, July 27, with the 10m air rifle event. From 14-year-old Dhinidhi Desinghu to 44-year-old Rohan Bopanna, the Indian team comprises a blend of youth and experience.

Youngest Indian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games

1. Dhinidhi Desinghu - 14 (Swimming)

Karnataka's 14-year-old swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu is the youngest member of the Indian contingent. The Paris Olympics will be her debut at the Olympic Games as she earned the Universality quota in the women's 200m freestyle event. Dhinidhi holds the national record in this category, with a time of 2:04.24 at the 2023 Indian Championships. The Indian Championships proved to be a turning point for her as she secured her spot in the Asian Games by breaking the national record. However, she didn't have a great outing at the Asian Games, finishing in 12th position with a time of 2:07.10.

2. Bhajan Kaur - 18 (Archery)

Over the past two years, 18-year-old Bhajan Kaur has been one of the most reliable female archers in India in the women's recurve category. She made history as the first female archer to secure a quota place for India at the 2024 Olympic Games by winning a gold medal at the World Qualifiers. She was also a part of the Indian women's recurve team that won the bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Additionally, she secured an individual bronze medal at the World Youth Championships last year. She recently won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the final World Cup of the season in Antalya, adding to her impressive tally of medals. Now, she is determined to bring home an Olympic medal and end India's long wait for success in this sport.

3. Esha Singh - 19 (Shooting)

19-year-old pistol shooter Esha Singh is the youngest member of the Indian shooting contingent for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. She confirmed her ticket to Paris after the domestic trials and will compete in the women's 25m pistol event. Esha has been in outstanding form for the past two years, starting with her victory as the world junior champion in the women's 25m pistol category at the Cairo World Championships. She continued her momentum and achieved a significant senior medal at last year's Asian Games, securing the silver medal in the same category.

Oldest Indian athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games

1. Rohan Bopanna - 44 (Tennis)

Indian tennis legend Rohan Bopanna will be the oldest Indian athlete at the Paris Olympics 2024. This will be his third appearance at the Olympic Games, following his debut at the London Olympics in 2012. Rohan has consistently proven that age is just a number. He became the oldest player to be ranked world No. 1 in ATP Doubles and won his first-ever Grand Slam title in men's doubles at the age of 43. Talking about the latest Tennis news, Rohan Bopanna won the Australian Open in 2024, becoming the world No. 1 player, which also helped him secure the men's doubles quota for the Paris Olympics. Bopanna is all set to partner with Sriram Balaji. He will be aiming for his first Olympic medal.

2. Achanta Sharath Kamal - 42 (Table Tennis)

Achanta Sharath Kamal is the longest-serving table tennis player in India and the most experienced athlete in the Indian contingent. He is heading to his fifth Olympic Games this year in Paris. Sharath Kamal is currently the No. 1 player in India in the men's singles category and ranked 40th in the world. He achieved this feat after a tremendous quarterfinal run at the Singapore Smash. Sharath Kamal is one of the Indian flag bearers during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Achanta Sharath Kamal, who is set for his fifth Olympic appearance in Paris, feels he is scaling new heights with each passing year and believes his "best is yet to come."

3. Tarundeep Rai - 40 (Archery)

40-year-old Tarundeep Rai is one of the most talented archers in India. Heading into his fourth Olympics this year, Tarundeep has demonstrated remarkable consistency, contributing to the Indian men's team securing their quota. He has always been a crucial member of the Indian team, guiding them to a historic gold medal this year at the World Cup Stage-1 in Shanghai by defeating the reigning Olympic champions. Throughout his career, which spans more than twenty years, Tarundeep Rai has won numerous medals. However, the one major medal that has eluded him is an Olympic medal. He will be striving hard to win it at what is arguably his last chance in Paris.

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