Indian Badminton Contingent Arrives in Paris for 2024 Olympics, Medal Hopes High

Indian Badminton Contingent Arrives in Paris for 2024 Olympics, Medal Hopes High

The Indian badminton contingent, including star players PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty, has arrived at the Olympic Village in Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The opening ceremony for the Games is scheduled for July 26, with the badminton events commencing on July 27.

India has high hopes for a medal in badminton, having won medals in the past three consecutive Olympics. Saina Nehwal became the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal with a bronze at London 2012. PV Sindhu followed with a silver at Rio 2016 and a bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Rankireddy and Shetty are among the top medal contenders in the men's doubles event. They have come to Paris on strong footing, having established themselves as one of the leading pairs in the world.

The Olympic Village provides athletes with a unique opportunity to interact with international superstars from various sports. Rankireddy took advantage of this by getting a photograph with Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. "With the beast," he captioned the photo on his Instagram story.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Shetty had a similar encounter with Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic. However, luck seemed to elude Indian athletes who took pictures with Djokovic, as both Shetty and Rankireddy were knocked out in the group stage of their respective events.

India will be hoping for a change of fortune in Paris, with Sindhu, Prannoy, Rankireddy, and Shetty all aiming to make history and bring home a medal for their country.

Tags: #IndianBadminton, #Paris2024, #PVSindhu, #HSSprannoy, #SatwiksairajRankireddy