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There are only a few days left for Paris Olympics 2024 to start. Veteran players from all over the world are now making final preparations to win medals for their country. A total of 117 athletes will be seen representing India in the Olympics. The contingent has some young faces who will be making their debut while some players will be playing in their last Olympics. So, let's take a look at the 6 Indian players who will be featuring in their last Olympics in Paris.
Also Read: Most Olympic Games without any medal: Monaco, Myanmar and Bangladesh in top 30
#1 Achanta Sharath Kamal
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Achanta Sharath Kamal is arguably the greatest table tennis player to have graced the court representing the Indian tri-color. He will be featured in his fifth and likely his last Olympic games as he takes charge at the Paris Olympics 2024. Sharath Kamal has been selected as the flag bearer along with PV Sindhu by the Indian Olympic Committee. Born on July 12, 1982, Sharath Kamal has just recently turned 42 and will be one of the oldest athletes to participate in the Olympics.
In his 22-year-long career, Sharath Kamal has won eight gold, three silver, and three bronze medals in Commonwealth Games. Apart from CWG's success, Sharath Kamal boasts the record of being the only player to have won the Senior National Championships for a total of 10 times. Sharath Kamal has also won two bronze medals at the Asian Games and three bronze medals at the Asian Championships.
Despite his tremendous record at the National level and in Asia, Sharath Kamal has yet to win a medal at the Olympic Games.
#2 Rohan Bopanna
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Tennis superstar Rohan Bopanna will be participating in men's doubles alongside Sriram Balaji at the Paris Olympics 2024. He recently became the oldest player to be ranked number one in men's doubles. This will be Bopanna's last Olympics as the 44-year-old is the oldest member of the Indian contingent with the table tennis player Sharath Kamal being the closest as the 42-year-old.
Since turning pro in 2003 Bopanna has been one of the flag-bearers of Indian tennis. Bopanna also has won the French Open (mixed doubles with Gabriela Dabrowski). Recently Bopanna won the Australian Open Grand Slam in January and reached the semi-finals at the French Open in June. He represented India at the London 2012 Games and Rio 2016 but an injury denied him the chance to feature at the Tokyo Olympics.
Also Read: Top 10 Indian athletes who can win a medal at Paris Olympics 2024
#3 HS Prannoy
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HS Prannoy, who will be making his first appearance at the Olympics, is determined to fulfill his dream of competing on the Olympics stage, even though it has come later in his career than he might have hoped.
At 32, an age when many badminton players consider retirement, Prannoy put together his best year on the circuit to become India’s No.1 shuttler, a feat he had never achieved previously. The man from Kerala is known to be one of the best Indian players to pick up the racquet. A world championship and Asian Games medalist, HS Prannoy was a crucial part of the Thomas Cup-winning Indian team in 2022. In 2023, he ended India's wait of 41 years to win a medal in the men's singles category at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. He also won the silver medal at the inaugural edition of the Youth Olympics in 2010 in Singapore.
#4 PR Sreejesh
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A veteran of three Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups, PR Sreejesh will be playing his fourth Olympic Games and probably his last, joining legends like Dhanraj Pillay who have represented the Indian team four times at the Olympic Games.
Having made his debut at the 2010 World Cup, Sreejesh has been part of various memorable wins for India, which include a Bronze medal in Jakarta-Palembang, joint winning team of the Asian Champions Trophy in 2018, Gold medal winning team of the 2019 FIH Men's Series Finals in Bhubaneswar and Silver medal winning team at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The 36-year-old goalie was one of the main architects of India's historic Bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics.
Also Read: India at Olympics: India's Olympic medal tally by every edition
#5 Vinesh Phogat
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Making a strong comeback to the international arena after leading a prolonged protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat locked the Paris Olympics quota. The 29-year-old Vinesh has secured her third straight Olympic quota, having featured in the 2016 Rio Games and the 2020 edition Tokyo.
The road to Paris was not easy for Vinesh Phogat. The Indian wrestler had to drop down from the 53 kg to the 50 kg weight category to compete in the event, as Antim Panghal had already secured a berth in the former category. Vinesh also underwent knee surgery, which could affect her performance in the relatively unfamiliar category she has opted for in the Paris Olympics.
#6 Manpreet Singh
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India midfielder Manpreet Singh has hinted that the Paris Olympics could end up being his last one as India looks for another medal in men's hockey. 32-year-old Manpreet, who will be playing his 4th Olympics, captained the side when they broke a 41-year-old Olympic medal drought in Tokyo by bagging the bronze. Besides, Manpreet has been a member of the team that won the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games gold medals.
But the journey from Mithapur village in Jalandhar to Paris has not been smooth sailing for Manpreet. He had to fight poverty, false allegations and witness mother’s struggles to make a mark in his career. After the Tokyo Olympics, Manpreet had to endure the worst phase of his career when former coach Sjoerd Marijne leveled serious allegations against him.
Manpreet is no longer captain of the side with Harmanpreet Singh taking over the responsibility, but the star mid-fielder knows his role in the team as one of the senior-most member.
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