Athletics is one of the traditional disciplines of the modern Olympic Games, having its first appearance in the first edition of the games in Athens in 1896. When talking about Olympic records in athletics, we must take into account the difference between a world record and an Olympic record, since the latter only refers to marks achieved during a Games. An Olympic record can also be a world record. Olympic records are the best marks ever achieved in the history of the Olympic Games and can only be broken every four years.

Also Read: Olympic Facts: From Youngest to Oldest to most successful medalists and more

Oldest Olympic Records in Athletics

Even today there are several Olympic records that are still valid, some like that of Bob Beamon and his 8.90m in the long jump in the now distant time of Mexico 68 or that of the Soviet Sergey Litvinov and his 84.80m in the hammer throw event in Seoul 88.

In the women's category, there are seven Olympic records that have survived since Seoul 88. The most notable is the American Florence Griffith, who set two records in the 100m and 200m, 10'62 and 21'34s respectively, which are considered impossible to beat. The oldest, however, dates back to Moscow in 1980, when the Soviet Nadezhda Olizarenko set the 800m in 1:53.43.

However, since Seoul 1988, an Olympic record has always been broken in athletics, with a whopping five in the men's section and three in the women's at the last Games in Rio 2016.

Also Read: Top 10 athletes in the world with the most Olympic medals

Men's Olympic Records in Athletics

In the men's 100m and 200m, the champion is Jamaican Usain Bolt, with a time of 9.63 and 19.30 seconds respectively, set in 2012 and 2008. Curiously, the legendary sprinter holds world records that are lower than the Olympic ones: 9.58s and 19.19s, both achieved in 2009. 

Bengal, a region known for its rich culture and long history, also has a special connection to the world of sports. Many athletes from Bengal have achieved great things, with some even winning medals at the Olympic Games.

It is important to remember these champions who, over the years and through various challenges, brought Olympic glory home.

Let's explore the list of all Olympic medal winners from Bengal and revisit those glorious moments of pride.

Norman Pritchard (1900 Paris Olympics)

• Sport: Athletics
• Medals Won: 2 Silvers (Men's 200m, Men's 200m Hurdles)

Born in Kolkata (then Calcutta) in 1875, Norman Pritchard was a British-Indian athlete who holds a unique place in Olympic history as the first Asian-born athlete to win a medal. This remarkable moment arrived in the 1900 Paris Olympics, where he represented India in Athletics.

Pritchard participated in five athletics events, and clinched 2 silver medals: one in Men's 200m sprint, and another in Men's 200m hurdles.

His achievements marked history as he became the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympic Games and also the first medalist from Bengal.

After his sporting career, he moved to the United States and became a successful actor in silent films under the name Norman Trevor.

Read Also: Olympic Trivia: 25 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About the Games

Carlyle Tapsell (1932 Los Angeles Olympics)

• Sport: Field Hockey
• Medals Won: Gold (Men's team)

Carlyle Tapsell, born in Adra, a town of Purulia district in West Bengal, was a vital part of India's field hockey team that brought the second Gold medal home for India in Olympic history. This period, followed by the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, is recognised as the "golden age" for Indian hockey.

Tapsell was known for his defensive strength and penalty expertise. He played along with stars like Dhyan Chand to secure a historic 24-1 victory over the host nation, the USA.

This achievement cemented India's status as the world's best hockey team and made Tapsell the second Olympic champion from Bengal.

Read Also: 8 unbreakable Olympic records: Bolt, Phelps, Kim and more

Leander Paes (1996 Atlanta Olympics)

• Sport: Tennis
• Medals Won: Bronze (Men's Singles)

Born in Kolkata, Leander Paes, who hails from a family with an incredible sporting background, wrote a memorable chapter at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His bronze in Men's Singles Tennis ended the 44-year drought for an individual Olympic medal for India.

Paes is the only athlete to win a medal in Tennis for India. He is known for his strong will and unpredictable style, often called "junk tennis," that confused many higher-ranked opponents.

Despite suffering a wrist injury in the semi-final match, he did not give up and bagged the medal in the bronze medal match against Brazil's Fernando Meligeni, winning three sets (3-6, 6-2, 6-4).

His father, Vece Paes, was also an Olympic medalist, who won a bronze medal in hockey at the 1972 Munich Olympics. With Leander's win in 1996, they became the only father-son duo to have both won Olympic medals in different sports.

The Olympic Games are the world's oldest sporting spectacle, uniting athletes globally every four years. Medals here represent the ultimate standard of international athletic excellence. In contrast, the Commonwealth Games, known as the "Friendly Games," gather athletes from Commonwealth nations. While a major multi-sport event, its scale and competitive depth differ from the Olympics.

We bring you a direct comparison of performance in Commonwealth vs Olympics and India's medal ratios, based on their historical participation.

India's Olympic medal journey

India debuted in the Olympic Games in 1900, where Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian athlete, won 2 silver medals in athletics. This victory marked the beginning of India's medal book at the grandest stage of sport.

For a significant period following this, India's Olympic identity was primarily defined by the success of Men's Hockey team. They dominated the sport, winning six consecutive gold medals from 1928 to 1956, and adding further golds in 1964 and 1980.

India's rise in the Olympics came after the 2000s, where individual athletes proved themselves and won medals for the nation.

Read Also: Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics

Key individual breakthroughs:

• K. D. Jadhav (1952): Bronze in Wrestling. First individual medalist for independent India. 
• Leander Paes (1996): He brought the first-ever medal for India in tennis with his Bronze medal win.
• Karnam Malleswari (2000): First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal (Bronze in Weightlifting)
• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004): Silver in Shooting. India's first medal in this sport.
• Vijender Singh (2008): First Indian athlete to win a medal in Boxing (Bronze).
• Abhinav Bindra (2008): India's first individual Gold medalist (Sport: Shooting)
• Saina Nehwal (2012): Second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. She also brought the first medal for India in Badminton with her Bronze.
• Neeraj Chopra (2020/2021): Gold in Javelin throw. India's second individual gold.
• Manu Bhaker (2024): Second Indian to win 2 medals (Bronze in shooting) in a single Olympic edition.

India's dominance in the Commonwealth Games

India's debut at the Commonwealth Games (then British Empire Games) was in 1934 in London, where Rashid Anwar won the nation's first medal – a bronze in wrestling. Over the decades, India's presence has grown, cementing its status as a leading nation within the Commonwealth sporting fraternity.

Notable achivements:

• Milkha Singh (Athletics): First Indian to win a Gold medal at the CWG, in 1958.
• Jaspal Rama (Shooting): Most successful Indian athlete at the commonwealth games. He won 15 medals overall (9 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
• Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis): Won 4 medals (3 gold, 1 silver) in 2022, making him India's most successful athlete at that event.
• Ami Ghia and Kanwal Thakar Singh (Badminton): First Indian women to win a medal in the CWG. They won a bronze medal in women's doubles badminton in 1978.
• Roopa Unnikrishnan (Shooting): First Indian woman to win a Gold medal at the CWG in 1998.

Read Also: Cricket removed from Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth vs Olympics – A direct comparison

OLYMPICS: India has won 41 medals in the history of Olympic Games, which includes 10 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 21 bronze medals. India's most successful sport Olympic sport is Field Hockey (Men's team). They earned 13 medals in total.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES: India has won 564 medals in the history of CWG, with 203 gold, 190 silver, and 171 bronze medals. Their most successful sport at the games is Shooting, where they won 63 gold medals, and a total of 135 medals.

Read Also: Olympic Athletes to Watch in LA 2028 from India

India's Medal Ratios:

Most successful sport (Medals):

India's journey in Olympic Games began in 1900, but for many decades, success was limited. The nation's presence on the medal tally was defined by mostly one or two medals per edition, with the success of the Men's Hockey teams being the main reason for it.

However, the 21st century marked a turning point, as it saw India's rise at the Olympics. Their success at the Games picked up pace in several new ways.

Check out the full article to see how India's journey transformed:

1996-2008: Individual medals emerge

After years of triumph in Men's Hockey, 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw a change for India, as Leander Paes won a Bronze medal in Tennis. This victory brought in the first individual medal for India in Olympics after 44 years (previously: K.D. Jadhav won in 1952 in Wrestling).

Following this breakthrough, other individual athletes began to make their mark. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Karnam Malleswari made history with her Bronze medal win in Weightlifting, and became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

Moving to the next edition, the 2004 Athens Olympics saw another individual triumph, with a Silver medal this time. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore brought home India's first-ever medal in Shooting, laying the groundwork for India's extended talent pool beyond hockey.

In 2008, the momentum continued with Abhinav Bindra's Gold (Shooting), Vijender Singh's Bronze (Boxing), and Sushil Kumar's Bronze medal (Wrestling) in the same edition.

Read Also: Most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics

2012: Six Medals and India's Olympic Rise

The 2012 London Olympics was a truly historic moment for India. For the first time ever, India secured six individual medals in a single Olympic edition, that too in five different sports. This was not just a jump in numbers, but a clear rise for India in the Olympic Games.

Here, take a closer look at the medalists:

Gagan Narang: Bronze Medal in Shooting

Gagan Narang won India's first medal at London 2012, taking bronze in the men's 10m Air Rifle event with a final score of 701.1. He opened the medal books for India in this historic edition.

Sushil Kumar: Silver medal in Wrestling

Sushil Kumar became the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals (previously in 2008), securing silver in the men's 66kg freestyle wrestling after a hard-fought tournament.

Saina Nehwal: Bronze medal in Badminton

Saina Nehwal earned India's first-ever Olympic medal in Badminton, securing a bronze in Women's singles. With this victory, she also became the second woman, after Malleswari, to win a medal at the grandest stage.

Yogeshwar Dutt: Bronze medal in Wrestling

Yogeshwar Dutt overcame injuries and fought through brilliantly in the men's 60kg freestyle wrestling to secure a bronze medal.

Mary Kom: Bronze medal in Boxing

In the debut of women's boxing at the Olympics, Mary Kom won a bronze in the flyweight (51kg) category, making her the first Indian woman boxer to achieve this milestone.

Vijay Kumar: Silver medal in Shooting

Vijay Kumar clinched silver in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, finishing behind Cuba's Leuris Pupo.

Read Also: Olympic Athletes to Watch in LA 2028 from India

2016-2024: Sustaining the momentum in India's modern Olympic era

India has consistently built upon its Olympic success since 2012, with athletes dominating in different categories of sports. The period from 2016 to 2024 has seen new talents emerge and solidify India's rise on the global stage.

Competing on the grandest stage of them all, the Olympic Games, is an aspiration for athletes worldwide. Earning a single medal by getting ahead of the best around the world is a massive deal. But not just one win, imagine multiple medals in a single edition of Olympics? That's an extraordinary achievement.

For a nation like India, despite centuries of sporting heritage, this monumental feat has only been achieved by two athletes. 

Get ready to delve into the stats for most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: Most Consecutive Olympic Gold Medals

Norman Pritchard: India's first Olympic medalist and multi-medal pioneer

• Sport: Athletics
• Olympic Edition: 1900 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Men's 200m sprint, Men's 200m hurdles

Hailing from Kolkata, West Bengal, Norman Pritchard was a British-Indian athlete who marked India's debut in the Olympic Games with huge success. He not only holds the record of being the first-ever Olympic medalist from India, but also one of the only 2 athletes to win multiple medals in a single Olympics.

At the 1900 Paris Olympics, Pritchard secured two silver medals in athletics (Men's 200m and Men's 200m hurdles), setting the bar high and inspiring the future generations. His multi-medal success was the only standing record for over a century.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: From Youngest to Oldest to most successful medalists and more

Manu Bhaker: A modern-day multi medallist, 124 years later

• Sport: Shooting
• Olympic Edition: 2024 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Women's 10m air pistol, Mixed 10m air pistol team

More than a century after Pritchard's historic record, 2024 Paris Olympics witnessed another extraordinary individual brilliance from an young Indian athlete. Manu Bhaker, a professional shooter from Haryana, stunned everyone with her multi-medal feat.

Bhaker became the second Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympics with her 2 Bronze medals in shooting. She won the first one at an individual event (Women's 10m air pistol) and the second one alongside Sarabjot Singh in mixed 10m air pistol team.

Acknowledging the nuance regarding Pritchard's British roots and the ongoing debate about his nationality despite the IOC crediting India, Manu Bhaker is widely considered the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win most medals in a single Olympics.

Wherever Neeraj Chopra goes, he does not return empty-handed. This series started in 2016 when this rising star made a record for the first time at the Under-20 World Athletics Championships. From that day itself, we got a glimpse of the future to come, in which many records were to be made and broken one after the other.

On Friday night of 16 May, Neeraj maintained the same trend in Doha Diamond League 2025 and got his name registered in history, becoming the first Indian to breach the 90m mark in the sport. So, it's time we take a look at every Neeraj Chopra records that he has made in his tremendous career so far.

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

Every Neeraj Chopra records you should know

• First Indian to breach the 90m mark: Neeraj Chopra’s best throw is 90.23m, achieved at the Doha Diamond League on May 16, 2025. The mark stands as the men’s national record in India and Neeraj Chopra’s personal best. It was the first time an Indian had breached the 90m-mark in the javelin.
• First Indian to win Olympic medal in athletics: At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Neeraj Chopra produced a historic performance in the men's javelin throw event. Neeraj won the gold medal in the final with a throw of 87.58m, giving India its first Olympic medal in athletics. With this win, Neeraj Chopra also became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track and field event at the Olympics.
• First Indian to win silver at World Athletics Championships: Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He recorded a throw of 88.13m in his fourth attempt to claim the second spot. Chopra thus is the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships and only the second medallist from the country after Anju Bobby George in 2003.
• First Indian track and field athlete to win world championship: Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. With this win, the then 18-year-old Neeraj became the first Indian track and field athlete to become a world champion in any event and any age level.
• First Indian World Record holder in track & field: Neeraj Chopra Threw 86.48m at the junior championships in Poland to win the title. With this, he set the new under-20 world record, beating the 84.69m mark established by the previous holder, Latvia's Zigismunds Sirmais. Neeraj’s 86.48m attempt at Bydgoszcz still stands as both the U20 world record as well as the U20 Asian record in the javelin throw.
• Indian national javelin throw record holder: Neeraj Chopra’s best attempt to date came at the Stockholm Diamond League 2022 in Sweden on June 30, 2022, where he managed his personal best of 89.94m to establish the new national record.
• First Indian to win javelin throw gold at Asian Games: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Before him, Gurtej Singh was the only men’s javelin thrower from the country to win a medal – bronze at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. Neeraj threw  88.06m to claim the 2018 Asian Games title.
• First Indian to win a Diamond League meet: Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win a Diamond League meet after he topped the field in Lausanne in 2022. With a depleted field that had world champion Anderson Peters missing, the Indian comfortably led the charts with an 89.08m throw, in his first attempt. 
• First Indian to become Diamond League champion: Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian athlete in history to clinch the Diamond League trophy, by winning the Zurich Diamond League 2022 Final. The Indian ace recorded a best throw of 88.44m to beat Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and 2016 champion Jakub Vadlejch to the title.
• First Indian to become world champion: Neeraj Chopra became India's first world champion after he clinched the gold medal in the men's javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest with an effort of 88.17m. It was Neeraj Chopra's second straight medal at the world championships after his silver at Oregon 2022.

Also Read: India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition

Neeraj Chopra Records: Best throws at major competitions