A 29-member Indian athletics team will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-member athletics squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics includes eight athletes, who were part of the Tokyo Olympics. This time the squad includes 18 men and 11 women athletes. As the days pass, the expectations are rising and a lot will depend upon Neeraj Chopra who made history three years ago by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, that too a gold. This time he will have Olympic debutant Kishore Jena on his side.

Read Also: Full list of India's badminton squad for the Paris Olympics 2024

Annu Rani, who won the gold medal at the Asian Games last year, will compete in the women’s javelin throw event. Besides Neeraj Chopra and Annu Rani, men’s 3000m steeplechase athlete Avinash Sable, one of Asia’s top men’s shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Women’s race walker Priyanka Goswami and 4x400m relay runners Muhammed Anas, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan competed in the Tokyo Olympics.

Muhammed Anas (men’s 4x400m relay team) will be making his third straight appearance at the Summer Games. Ace hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary will make their Olympic debuts. Parul Chaudhary will compete in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m race and is the only athlete who will compete in two individual events. She won the gold medal in the 5000m race at the Asian Games last year and a silver in the 3000m steeplechase.

Priyanka Goswami, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, will be the only Indian in the women’s 20km race walk event in Paris. Jeswin Aldrin and Ankita Dhyani made their place in this squad too. National record-holders Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh, and Paramjeet Singh Bisht will compete in the men’s 20km race walk event while Suraj Panwar will feature in the mixed marathon event alongside Priyanka Goswami.

Read Also: Paris Olympics 2024: 6 Indian athletes who will be featuring in their last Olympics in Paris

Indian athletics team for the Paris 2024 Olympics

1. Avinash Sable (men’s 3000m steeplechase)
2. Neeraj Chopra (men’s javelin throw)
3. Kishore Jena (men’s javelin throw)
4. Tajinderpal Singh Toor (men’s shot put)
5. Praveen Chithravel (men’s triple jump)
6. Abdulla Aboobacker (men’s triple jump)
7. Sarvesh Kushare (men’s high jump)
8. Akshdeep Singh (men’s 20km race walk)
9. Vikash Singh (men’s 20km race walk)
10. Paramjeet Singh Bisht (men’s 20km race walk)
11. Muhammed Anas (men’s 4x400m relay)
12. Muhammed Ajmal (men’s 4x400m relay)
13. Amoj Jacob (men’s 4x400m relay)
14. Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (men’s 4x400m relay)
15. Rajesh Ramesh (men’s 4x400m relay)
16. Mijo Chacko Kurian (men’s 4x400m relay)
17. Suraj Panwar (race walk mixed marathon)
18. Jeswin Aldrin (men's long jump)
19. Kiran Pahal (women’s 400m)
20. Parul Chaudhary (women’s 3000m steeplechase and 5,000m)
21. Jyothi Yarraji (women’s 100m hurdles)
22. Annu Rani (women’s javelin throw)
23. Jyothika Sri Dandi (women’s 4x400m relay)
24. Subha Venkatesan (women’s 4x400m relay)
25. Vithya Ramraj (women’s 4x400m relay)
26. MR Poovamma (women’s 4x400m relay)
27. Prachi (women’s 4x400m relay)
28. Priyanka Goswami (women’s 20km race walk and race walk mixed marathon)
29. Ankita Dhyani (women's 5000m)

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, popularly known as 'Mondo' Duplantis, has broken the men's pole vaulting World Record for the 11th time, a record which he previously set himself.

The 25-year-old Swedish pole vaulter improved his own men's pole vault world record to 6.27m at the All Star Perche event in Clermont-Ferrand, France on February 28th, 2025.

MONDO DUPLANTIS BREAKS THE POLE VAULT WORLD RECORD AGAIN!

🐐6.27m clearance indoors🐐pic.twitter.com/iIx1UXhC3I

— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) February 28, 2025

This marks the 11th time Duplantis has broken the world record in his career, first achieving it in February 2020 with a height of 6.17m.

The two-time World Champion and Olympic winner secured his victory at the All Star Perche event with a height of 6.02m. Following that, Duplantis improved the clearance that he set in August 2024, by one centimeter.

"I just felt really good. What can I say, I came here to do it. I put everything in place to do it. The run-up worked really well. I just did it," Duplantis stated to the reporters after setting the world record.

However, in this article, Sportz Point will explore all the 11 times Mono Duplantis broke the World Record.

Mondo Duplantis: 11 times the pole vaulter broke the World Record

1. 2020 - 6.17m

Back in 2014, France's legendary pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie marked the world record with a clearance of 6.16m.

The record nearly stood for six years, until the 20-year-old Mondo Duplantis broke the previous record with a 6.17m height at the Orlen Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland.

This was the first time Duplantis broke the world record, previously breaking the 10-year age group record with a jump of 3.86m in 2010.

2. 2020 - 6.18m

Only a week after creating the World Record in Poland, Duplantis bettered his record with a 6.18m jump at the Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow, Scotland.

Duplantis stated the following after setting new record in Glasgow;

It’s the best little split second that could ever be,

Everything builds up to that one tiny little moment. That little free-fall is a magical moment.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Mondo Duplantis (@mondo_duplantis)

3. 2022 - 6.19m

Mondo Duplantis earned the crown as an Olympic Champion, following his maiden gold medal win in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

However, the Swedish athlete surpassed his own record for the third time in 2022, after securing a 6.19m jump in the Belgrade Indoor Meeting, Serbia.

WR!!!! #6.19 #borntofly pic.twitter.com/UghhIVutxv

— Mondo Duplantis (@mondohoss600) March 7, 2022

4. 2022 - 6.20m

Breaking his own world record in a span of 15 days, Duplantis again stunned the world in 2022. 

Following his 6.19m jump in the Belgrade Indoor Meeting on 7 March 2022, Duplantis promised "something higher" in the upcoming world championship. 

He kept his word in the best possible way, securing a 6.20m jump at the world indoor championships on 21 March 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. 

5. 2022 - 6.21m

Mondo Duplantis clinched his first-ever outdoor world title on 24 March 2022 at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Duplantis, again improved his own record and set his third world record in 2022, soaring over 6.21m, and breaking the world record for the first time in the outdoors.

Along with this record, Duplantis also surpassed Sergey Bubka, one of the greatest pole vaulters of all-time, for career six metre-plus clearances. Bubka's 46-time record was overshadowed by Duplantis' 48 after this championship. 

6. 2023 - 6.22m 

On 25th February 2023, Mondo Duplantis broke his own record, clearing 6.21m to win the All Star Perche 2023 event in Clermont-Ferrand, France, where he again has broken the record in 2025.

Duplantis was congratulated by Renaud Lavillenie after the win, whose record he first broke back in 2020 and who is a co-founder of the All Star Perche event.

Mondo Duplantis ends his indoor season with brilliant last attempt at 6.22m WR in Clermont-Ferrand, France! https://t.co/1qVXmHuOhS , #mondoduplantis, #polevault, #swedishathletics, #europeanathletics, @mondohoss600, @PUMA, @euroathletics, #PUMA, #PUMArunning, pic.twitter.com/HVAJ9AmENX

— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 27, 2023

7. 2023 - 6.23m 

Duplantis broke the world record for the seventh time following his 6.23m clearance to win the 2023 Diamond League Final in Eugene on 17 September 2023.

🚨 WORLD RECORD🚨@mondohoss600 clears 6.23m at the first attempt to claim his 3rd successive #DiamondLeague title 🤯

Get that man a brewski! 🍺#DLFinal#EugeneDL 🇺🇸
📸 @GorczynskaMarta pic.twitter.com/aUjbuFPQjp

— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) September 17, 2023

8. 2024 - 6.24m (Xiamen, China)

Duplantis opened his 2024 season in style, soaring 6.24m to set the world record for outdoors at the Diamond League event in Xiamen, China.

The Swedish pole vaulter registered the highest clearance in history to add 1cm to the record he had set in Eugene, USA in 2023.

💬"It was my first time jumping here in China, and I was really just trying to enjoy the moment. It's people that I really want to show what I can do."
- Says #Duplantis after elevating his world pole vault record to a new high of 6.24m at Diamond League in Xiamen. #XiamenDL pic.twitter.com/Uqt8g3x8mb

— CGTN Sports Scene (@CGTNSportsScene) April 21, 2024

9. 2024 - 6.25m (Paris, France)

Duplantis retained his Olympic Gold medal title in the 2024 Paris Olympics, breaking his own record to register a 6.25m clearance. 

The 25-year-old became the first athlete to retain the pole vault title, since American pole vaulter Bob Richards achieved the remarkable feat in 1952 and 1956.

Mondo Duplantis is out of this world! ✈️🌍

Listen to the roar inside the Stade de France as he set a new world record of 6.25m. 🔥#Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/0bxzWecxi4

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 15, 2024

10. 2024 - 6.26m (Silesia, Poland)

For the second time in his career, Mondo Duplantis shattered the world record three times in a calendar year in 2024.

Following the record he set at the Paris Olympics 2024, Duplantis bettered it by 1cm to soar over 6.26m at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland on 25 August 2024.

He also broke his world record for the third time in the outdoor season and for the tenth time in his career.

11. 2025 - 6.27m (Clermont-Ferrand, France)

As the latest world record, Mondo Duplantis has broken the world record for a record 11th time in his career, to set a new high of 6.27m on 28 February 2025 at the All-Star Perche Event in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Here is the moment Mondo Duplantis broke the World Record in the Pole Vault with 6.27m in France!!🤯🤯

11 World Records so far in his career!! A LEGEND.pic.twitter.com/WCXfr1qe6I

— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) February 28, 2025

Beatrice Chebet, the double Olympic gold medallist from Paris 2024, ran 13:54 in the Cursa dels Nassos, Barcelona, becoming the first woman to run 5km under 14 minutes on the last day of 2024. 

The distance runner from Kenya had set a record of 14:13 exactly 12 months ago in the Cursa dels Nassos. But, this time, she broke her own record as she clocked 13:54 on Tuesday (31st December). 

Read Also | Vinesh Phogat, Manu Bhaker and Neeraj Chopra's brand value multiply up to six times post Paris Olympics 2024

Chebet started the run at the same time as the men's and finished only 26 seconds behind the men's winner Matthew Kipkoech, another Kenyan distance runner. Chebet finished 14th overall.

Meantime, women's runner-up 19-year-old Ethiopian Medina Eisa broke the U-20 World record by clocking a timing of 14:23. 

Read Also | Cricket versus "Sports": A friend or a foe?

Records Beatrice Chebet broke in 2024

Chebet had a stunning 2024, breaking multiple records on the track. Here are some records she broke in 2024 before breaking this record.  

• On 25th May, she became the first woman to run 10,000m in under 29 minutes at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. She broke the 10000m World record by clocking 28:54.
• Chebet won the Olympic 5,000m gold medal in Paris, beating Faith Kipyegon to the line with a winning time of 14:28.56.
• She then won the Olympic 10,000m gold medal in Paris with a time of 30:43.25

Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has announced the beginning of an exciting new chapter in his career. Neeraj on Saturday announced the appointment of great javelin thrower Jan Zelezny as his new coach.

Also Read: NEERAJ CHOPRA INJURY: A SAGA OF STRAIN, TECHNIQUE, AND RECOVERY

Jan Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and world champion and current world record holder, has long been Chopra's idol. Actually, Neeraj Chopra was working with German coach Klaus Bartonietz till now, but Klaus has recently retired from coaching.

Announcing the new coach, Neeraj said, “Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. He was the best in the sport for so many years, and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It’s an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started,” 

Chopra didn't breach 90m mark

Chopra, 26, won a historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the Paris Olympics 2024, as well as two world championships medals, silver at the 2022 Eugene edition and gold at the 2023 Budapest. However, over the past few years, Chopra has expressed his desire to breach the 90m mark. His alliance with Bartonietz after Paris, where Chopra again failed to hit the 90m mark while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won gold with an Olympic record 92.97m.

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

Under Zelezny's guidance, Neeraj will try to take his success to a different level. On this occasion, Jan Zelezny said, “I have already spoken about Neeraj as a great talent many years ago. When I saw him early in his career, I realised great possibilities for top results. I also said that if I should start to coach somebody from outside Czechia, my first choice would be Neeraj. I like his story and I see big potential, as he is young and able to improve."

Zelezny broke WR on four occasions

Jan Zelezny, a gold medalist at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympic Games, has five of the top ten best throws of all time. In 1996, he set a world record in Germany with a throw of 98.48m. He broke the world record on four occasions.

When Chopra won gold at the Tokyo 2020, Zelezny was the coach of both other medalists Jakub Vadlejch (silver) and Vítězslav Veselý (bronze).. He has also coached two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion Barbora Špotáková.

World Athletics has earlier announced that athletes should wear shoes with a uniform 20-millimeter sole thickness limit for all events. This rule will come into action on November 1st, 2024, marking a notable change in the actions of the athletes.

This rule has been induced to welcome fairness in the game. However, this has sparked controversies. While many athletes have accepted it, some are still in dilemmas about the rule.

Well, let's look at how the rule will impact the performance. However, for now, let's look at the present thickness.

Current Shoe Sole Thickness Rules in Athletics

Presently, there is no such uniformity of sole thickness. Thickness normally varies according to the events in which the athletes participate.

Suppose, in events where an athlete will have run more than 800 meters, shoes are allowed to have a sole up to 25 mm. However, when it comes to shorter distances, the maximum thickness has been limited to 20 mm.

For field events, including the high jump, athletes have a 20mm limit. But for the triple jump, athletes are allowed to wear shoes with soles up to 25mm.

These rules were implemented in January 2022, based on the technological advancements in shoes. However, from 1st November this year, there will be no distinction in sole thickness in different events.

Point to be noted: the rules for road events like marathons and race walks, which permit a 40mm sole thickness, will remain unchanged.

Why is World Athletics enforcing a 20mm sole limit?

The main motto of World Athletics is to ensure fairness. As a result of this, the federation has decided to apply the rule of a uniform 20mm limit to the sole.

In recent years, advances in shoe technology—particularly with thicker soles and carbon fiber plates—have sparked debates about whether these shoes offer athletes some unfair advantage.

Thus, World Athletics created its own Working Group on Athletic Shoes in 2020. The main task of this group is to analyze the impact of shoe technology on performance. They also draft regulations, ensuring that athletes are focusing more on skills and not technology.

The new rule was announced well in advance to give shoe manufacturers ample time to adapt their designs.

Athletes' Reactions to the 20mm Rule Change

Top athletes have had mixed reactions to the upcoming rule. Joshua Cheptegei, the Olympic and World Champion in the 10,000 meters, supports the change, describing it as "for the benefit of the sport."

He added that the thinner soles won’t necessarily lead to slower times, emphasizing that performance is often influenced by an athlete's mindset. Cheptegei also noted that recent shoe technology has aided recovery between training sessions, which could be impacted by the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Muktar Edris, a former two-time 5,000m World Champion, said that a thicker sole helps the athletes, providing them extra "energy" and "push." A reduced sole may hamper a regular action.

The Controversy Surrounding Shoe Technology

The controversy regarding shoe technology is nothing new. Before 2022, the track spikes had soles with thicknesses up to 30 mm.

During the Tokyo Olympics, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt brought this issue to the public, citing the unfair advantage an athlete may receive due to thicker boots. Not only that, but with the increased use of technologically advanced shoes, world records that looked unbreakable are at stake.

Karsten Warholm, the one who holds the World Record in 400m hurdles, also expressed his concern. After winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, he questioned the boots of the runner-up, Rai Benjamin.

Warholm made serious claims that Benjamin used thicker Nike soles that provided the later an unfair advantage. Warholm's remarks not only concerned the federation but drew attention to the fine line between technological innovation and "technological doping."

The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance

Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete who broke the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019, sparked controversies at his time as well. He used the Nike Alphafly, which featured thick soles and carbon plates. However, the nature of the event didn't let that record count. 

Later, World Athletics introduced a rule. It required the new shoes to be in the open market for at least four months prior to the competition. This rule also aspired to thwart athletes with exclusive shoe deals from gaining an unfair advantage.

Will the 20mm sole limit affect athlete performance?

It is not exactly negative, but the athletes will solely depend on their physical abilities and techniques. Yes, a few athletes do consider this to hurt their performance, but just like Cheptegei mentioned, mental resilience and training will play a crucial role in breaking records or achieving personal bests (PB).

Well, a reduced cushion in the sole will demand more energy from the athlete. Thus, athletes need to adjust their training regimes to adapt to the new rules.

World Athletics had mentioned clearly that they want to promote uniformity. They want the athletes to rely on their power and skills, not some technology beneath their feet, that will change and evolve with time. 

However, with shoe manufacturers rushing to adapt their designs, the real test will come when athletes compete under the new regulations in 2024.

The art of javelin throw is a perfect balance of both technique and power. And Neeraj Chopra, who relies mostly on technique, is struggling due to his recurring groin injury With a jam-packed schedule since the last year, he "ignored" the pain, for the sake of participation. However, with a clear window till mid-2025, it is high time for the 2024 Paris Olympics Silver medallist to undergo the required treatment. Additionally, he fractured his hand while practising, during the Brussels Diamond League, thus calling off, for this year, at least.

The Groin Injury: An Unseen Strain Troubling Neeraj Chopra

In 2018, Neeraj Chopra got an inury in his erector muscles which was healed. However, it has resurfaced since last year, at Bhubaneshwar, at the middle of June.

Chopra's physio Ishan Marwah, has been monitoring him closely. he explained the injury in Layman terms- the erector muscles are directly connected to the pelvic bones. Thus the injury is giving strain to the muscles, hampering his normal run up, followed by this throw.

In the most ideal situation, Neeraj would like to increase the speed of his run- up. This needs quicker movement of his right leg and hips. However, the strain is preventing him from doing so, leading to a compromised throwing technique. His block leg, i.e., the left leg, is crucial for delivering power in the final phase of the throw. But with the injury lingering, he’s unable to fully complete that movement. What looks like his signature fall after each throw, is nothing but a visual representation of his technical failures.

Technical Hurdles: The Cascade Effect

As mentioned earlier, javelin is a highly technical sport. The body needs to be in motion and in absolute sync. Neeraj Chopra suffering from groin injury has led to a cascading effect on his entire throwing mechanism. As Ishan explained to multiple sources, his right leg is not performing in the required way. Thus, Chopra falls more on his left, bending it slightly, which is, ideally not good for a powerful throw.

The rule books say, the perfect projectile will get the spear fall centrally or slightly to the right. However, in Chopra’s case, the javelin is turning to the left due to him falling leftward at the end of his throw. This is the major flaw he is having due to the injury.

In the last few outings, Chopra hasn’t been in his signature best form. He has an initial season best in the Olympics Qualifier itself with an impressive throw of at 89.34. He sealed the Olympics silver with 89.49 meters in the finals.

However, his signature "roar" was vividly missing.

Read also: Neeraj Chopra’s best throws: Here are all the top throws by javelin ace Neeraj Chopra

The Chicken and Egg Situation: Neeraj Chopra Sandwiched between Injury and Technique

The groin injury has got Neeraj Chopra in a vicious cycle. The injury is hampering his daily practice routine. As per Marwah, Neeraj earlier has to have 2 to 3 sessions of practice each week. Each session has 35 to 40 throws. With the injury becoming a growing concern, Neeraj had to reduce the no of sessions, each having around 20 throws. Lack of practice is affecting his technique, which is directly causing more strain. Again, Ishan clarified that adequate training is the way to cure the strain. 

Neeraj, Unlike Arshad Nadeem or the Germans, has depended more on technique and not power. He has his shoulder flexibility as his biggest pros, but with the injury in the scene, things got hampered.

However, Marwah is optimistic, hoping that proper medical advice and rehabilitation will fully recover Chopra. The latter is having the right shape, and with proper rehabilitation, he can aim to add an extra 3 to 4 meters to his throw. However, that requires adequate rest, and avoiding risks, which calls for skipping certain competitions.

Neeraj Chopra signs off for 2024, with hand injury

Soon after the Brussels Diamond League, Neeraj Chopra took to his social media handle to inform about his hand injury. He informed, that he had fractured the fourth metacarpal in his left hand during practice. He thus, is calling off his professional participation, for this year. Despite this, Chopra sealed a second position, that too by missing the 24-carat Diamond, by just a centimetre (87.86 m).

As the 2024 season ends, I look back on everything I’ve learned through the year - about improvement, setbacks, mentality and more.

On Monday, I injured myself in practice and x-rays showed that I had fractured the fourth metacarpal in my left hand. It was another painful… pic.twitter.com/H8nRkUkaNM

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) September 15, 2024

What the future calls

A gold in the Tokyo Olympics has raised the expectations bar to such a level, that whiskers feel like major losses. The present air is more concerned about him touching the magic 90 m Mark, more than him recovering. 

With the groin injury being a major issue, the fracture has gotten Neeraj Chopra an “added advantage” to pull off the curtain for now. As the javelin world awaits to see what comes next for him, one thing is certain: his determination, resilience, and unmatched focus will continue to push him forward. At days, it should be recovery, more than crossing 90 meters on the court.