Star Javelin Thrower Subedar Neeraj Chopra and 23 other military personnel are among the 117 Indian athletes who are all set to make India proud at the Paris Olympics, beginning July 26, 2024. Although it is the first time that the Indian contingent going to the Olympics has participation of women military personnel as well, their number is only Two . These women are Havildar Jaismine Lamboria and Chief Petty Officer Ritika Hooda.
Subedar Neeraj Chopra, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Gold medalist, will again vie for top honours as his participation in the Paris Olympics comes on the back of exceptional performances which earned him a Gold medal each at the 2023 Asian Games, 2023 World Athletics Championship, 2024 Diamond League, and 2024 Paavo Nurmi Games.
2022 Commonwealth Games Bronze medalist Havildar Jaismine Lamboria and 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships Bronze medalist CPO Ritika Hooda are the two women Service personnel who are taking part in the Games for the first time, and aim to create history. They will feature in Boxing and Wrestling respectively.
Subedar Amit Panghal (Boxing), Chief Petty Officer Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot-Put), Subedare Avinash Mukund Sable (3000m Steeplechase), Chief Petty Officer Muhammed Anas Yahiya, PO(GW) Muhammed Ajmal, Subedar Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan and Junior Warrant Officer Mijo Chacko Kurian (4X400M Men’s Relay), Junior Warrant Officer Abdulla Aboobacker (Triple Jump), Subedar Tarundeep Rai and Sub Dhiraj Bommadevara (Archery) and Naib Subedar Sandeep Singh (Shooting) are also among the Service personnel who would aim to bring laurels to the country and their respective force.
