"Don't want to let down PM's vision": PT Usha expresses confidence on India's bid to host 2036 Olympics

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha affirmed that efforts are being made to host the 2036 Olympic Games in India. During the 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India will leave "no stone unturned" in the preparation for the successful organization of the Olympics in 2036, adding "this is the dream of the 140 crore Indians." Two months ago, India took the first step towards hosting the Olympics in 2036 by initiating the dialogue process with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Future Host Commission (FHC).

The IOA president reassured that steps are being taken towards hosting 2036 Summer Games in India and told ANI, "We don't want to let go down our Prime Minister's vision. It will be done, yesterday also we were in dialogue with the host commission."

In the Paris 2024 Olympics, India fielded 117 athletes, its largest ever contingent, to hunt for glory and hit the double-digit mark for the first time in the history of the Summer Games. Over the course of 2.5 weeks, India tasted success, endured heartbreaks and ended the campaign with six medals, a silver and five bronze. PT Usha feels if athletes are offered good facilities, India will bag more medals in the next Olympics event.

"We won six medals this year and in 6-7 events. If we give good facilities for other players also, it will bring more medals next time. We have to see where we are lacking and how they lost. We should analyze all those things. You can change a lot within 4 years if you go on in a proper way. I think we can also do a good performance in future and we can do a lot of things within four years," Usha added.

Led by Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian men's hockey team won back-to-back bronze medals for the first time in 52 years at the Olympics following their 2-1 triumph over Spain. In shooting, Manu Bhaker etched her name into the history books. She became the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. This distinction was previously held by Norman Pritchard at the Paris 1900 Games. In the women's 10m air pistol event, Manu won a bronze medal, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win a medal in this event.

Alongside Sarabjot Singh, Manu secured her second bronze and India's first-ever medal in the mixed team 10m air pistol event.She narrowly missed a hat-trick of medals, finishing fourth in the women's 25m pistol shooting event at the Paris Olympics. Swapnil Kusale added to India's medal tally after he stood at the podium with a bronze medal in the men's 50m rifle 3P event at the Paris Olympics.India's javelin ace Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his Tokyo gold medal but brought the silver home with a throw of 89.45m. Wrestler Aman Sehrawat, who made his Olympic debut, secured the bronze medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz. (ANI)