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Indian distance runner Parul Chaudhary narrowly missed her national record in the women's 5000m race at the Paris Olympics, finishing 24th overall. Despite her impressive performance, Chaudhary and fellow Indian Ankita Dhyani failed to qualify for the final round.Chaudhary, who holds the national record of 15 minutes 10.35 seconds, clocked 15:10.68 in heat number one, finishing 14th. Dhyani placed 20th and last in the same heat, finishing 40th overall.The qualification round was dominated by reigning Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who topped the standings with a time of 14:57.56. Tokyo Games gold medallist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands followed closely behind with a time of 14:57.65. Current 5000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia finished fifth overall with a time of 14:57.84.Only the top eight finishers in each of the two heats advanced to the final round. Chaudhary, who had qualified for the 5000m race through world ranking quota, was unable to meet the direct entry time of 14:52.00. Dhyani also qualified through world ranking quota and made the cut at the last minute.Chaudhary's primary event at the Paris Olympics is the 3000m steeplechase, which she will compete in on Sunday. She had hoped to qualify for the 5000m final as well, but her narrow miss by one-third of a second proved costly.Despite the disappointment, Chaudhary's performance is a testament to her talent and determination. She remains a strong contender in the 3000m steeplechase and will be looking to make a mark in that event at the Paris Olympics.

India's Olympic Journey: A History of Near MissesIndia's Olympic history is marked by a series of tantalizingly close finishes, where athletes have come within a hair's breadth of the podium but ultimately fallen short. These near misses have left an enduring legacy of both agony and inspiration.1956 Melbourne: FootballThe Indian football team made a remarkable run to the semifinals, defeating hosts Australia in the quarterfinals. However, they were unable to overcome Yugoslavia in the semifinals and lost the bronze medal match to Bulgaria.1960 Rome: AthleticsLegendary sprinter Milkha Singh narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the 400m final. He slowed down to glance at his competitors, costing him a mere 1/10th of a second. This heartbreaking loss haunted him for the rest of his life.1980 Moscow: Women's HockeyWith top hockey nations boycotting the Moscow Games, India's women's hockey team had a golden opportunity to medal. However, they narrowly missed out, losing their final match to the USSR and finishing fourth.1984 Los Angeles: AthleticsPT Usha, known as the "Payyoli Express," came within 1/100th of a second of winning a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. This was the closest an Indian athlete had ever come to a medal in any competition.2004 Athens: TennisLeander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, India's celebrated doubles pair, missed out on a bronze medal after losing a marathon match to Croatia. They had also lost in the semifinals to Germany.2012 London: ShootingShooter Joydeep Karmakar finished just 1.9 points behind the bronze medal winner in the men's 50m rifle prone event.2016 Rio de Janeiro: GymnasticsDipa Karmakar became the first Indian woman gymnast to compete at the Games. She finished fourth in the women's vault event, missing the bronze medal by 0.150 points.2020 Tokyo: Women's HockeyThe Indian women's hockey team once again came close to a medal, but lost to Great Britain in the bronze medal match.2020 Tokyo: GolfAditi Ashok, ranked 200th in the world, came agonizingly close to a podium finish in golf. She ultimately finished fourth.These near misses have left a bittersweet legacy for Indian sports. They have shown the potential of Indian athletes to compete at the highest level, but they have also highlighted the challenges and heartbreak that can come with falling just short of the ultimate prize.

India will send a contingent of 117 athletes and 140 support staff to the upcoming Paris Olympics, which will be held from July 26 to August 11. The contingent includes 29 athletes in athletics, 21 in shooting, and 19 in hockey. Other sports represented include table tennis (8), badminton (7), wrestling (6), archery (6), boxing (6), golf (4), tennis (3), swimming (2), sailing (2), equestrian (1), judo (1), rowing (1), and weightlifting (1).The contingent will be led by chef-de-mission Gagan Narang, a former Olympic bronze medalist in shooting. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has been allocated 11 contingent officials, including five medical team members, who will be accommodated in the Games Village. An additional 72 support staff, including coaches, physios, and psychologists, will be accommodated in hotels outside the Games Village at government expense.The shooting contingent, which is the second largest, consists of 11 women and 10 men. The athletics contingent includes 11 women and 18 men, while the table tennis contingent has four players in each category. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu is the lone weightlifter in the contingent and will compete in the women's 49kg category.The government has emphasized the importance of anti-doping measures and has asked the IOA and concerned federations to take appropriate steps to avoid any doping embarrassments. The Paris Organizing Committee will provide three cars for the Indian contingent without drivers, and the Indian Embassy in Paris will assist in identifying and hiring temporary drivers.

Jessica Hull's world record-breaking performance in the women's 2,000m at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco has sent shockwaves through the athletics world. The Australian shattered the previous record by almost two seconds, clocking in at an astonishing 5 minutes and 19.70 seconds.Hull's dominance was evident from the outset as she closely followed the pacemakers through the first 1,000m. With the trackside lights indicating world record pace, Hull remained focused and determined. As the second pacemaker stepped aside, Hull took over the lead and faced the daunting task of running against the clock.Undeterred, Hull surged ahead, leaving the lights behind as she entered the final bend. With the crowd cheering her on, she crossed the finish line in a time that will forever be etched in the history books."It was incredible," said Hull. "When I was on my own on the last lap, everyone was cheering for me. I was just looking at the lights, hoping they wouldn't catch me."Hull's achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication. "There are for sure some women who can run that 5:19, but for now I have my place in the history books," she added.Meanwhile, Algeria's Djamel Sedjati made history in the men's 800m, breaking the Diamond League record with a time of 1:41.46. This performance places him as the third-fastest 800m runner in history.In the men's 1,500m, Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen continued his pursuit of a record time, improving his European record to 3:26.73.Hull's world record and the impressive performances by Sedjati and Ingebrigtsen have set the stage for an exciting lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

India's Olympic journey towards Paris 2024 has begun with a promising start. The country has already secured 100 quotas across various sports, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling.The Tokyo Olympics saw India create history with its largest-ever contingent and its biggest medal haul in a single edition. Neeraj Chopra's historic gold in men's javelin throw was a defining moment. At Paris 2024, the focus will once again be on Chopra, who will look to defend his title.In shooting, India has secured quotas in every Olympic category for the first time. Trap shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman and women's trap shooter Rajeshwari Kumari were among the first to qualify.Athletics has also seen significant progress. Race walkers Priyanka Goswami and Akshdeep Singh became the first Indians to qualify for the event at Paris 2024. Four Indian athletes breached the qualifying standard in the men's 20km walk, with Akshdeep, Vikash, and Paramjeet Singh receiving the nod.In boxing, Jasmine Lamboria secured the quota in the women's 57kg category. Renowned sports medicine expert Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala has assured that all athletes are in prime condition for the Olympics.The complete list of Indian athletes who have qualified for Paris 2024 so far includes:* Archery: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, Pravin Jadhav, Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat* Athletics: Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht, Priyanka Goswami, Avinash Sable, Parul Chaudhary, Jyothi Yarraji, Kiran Pahal, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Abha Khatua, Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena, Annu Rani, Sarvesh Kushare, Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, Santhosh Tamilarasan, Rajesh Ramesh, Mijo Chaco Kurian, Vidhya Ramaraj, Jyothika Sri Dandi, MR Poovamma, Subha Venkatesan, Prachi, Priyanka Goswami/Suraj Panwar* Badminton: H.S Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, P.V Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponappa, Tanisha Crasto* Boxing: Nikhat Zareen, Amit Phangal, Nishant Dev, Preeti Pawar, Lovlina Borgohain, Jaismine Lamboria* Equestrian: Anush Agarwalla* Golf: Subhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar* Hockey: P.R Sreejesh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rogidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gujrant Singh* Judo: Tulika Mann* Rowing: Balraj Panwar* Sailing: Vishnu Saravanan, Nethra Kumanan* Shooting: Prithviraj Tondaiman, Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh, Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan, Anantjeet Singh Naruka/Maheshwari Chauhan, Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta, Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal, Swapnil Kusale, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil, Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan, Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal, Arjun Cheema, Sarabjot Singh, Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwam, Vijayveer Sidhu, Anish Bhanwala, Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, Sarabjot Singh/Manu Bhakar, Arjun Cheema/Rhythm Sangwam* Swimming: Dhinidhi Desinghu, Srihari Nataraj* Table Tennis: Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Archana Kamath* Tennis: Sumit Nagal, Rohan Bopanna, Sriram Balaji* Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu* Wrestling: Aman Sehrawat, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Nisha Dahiya, Reetika Hooda, Antim Phangal

India's Top 400m Runner Deepanshi Suspended for DopingIndia's promising 400m runner Deepanshi has been suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for anabolic steroids during the recent National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, Haryana.Deepanshi, 21, had secured a silver medal in the event, clocking an impressive 52.01 seconds in the women's 400m final. However, her jubilation was short-lived as her in-competition dope sample, collected on June 27, returned positive results for banned substances.This incident marks the first doping violation from the National Inter-State Championships, which served as the final qualifying event for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Deepanshi's suspension has raised concerns about the sources of her doping substances and the nature of her training environment, as she does not train at the National camp.The use of anabolic steroids, which are synthetic hormones that promote muscle growth, is strictly prohibited in sports. They can enhance performance but also pose significant health risks, including liver damage, heart problems, and infertility.Deepanshi's suspension is a major setback for Indian athletics. She was considered one of the country's top prospects for the Paris Olympics and had been consistently improving her times. Her suspension serves as a reminder of the importance of clean sport and the consequences of doping.The NADA is investigating the case and will determine the appropriate sanctions against Deepanshi. The suspension is a blow to her career and raises questions about the integrity of Indian athletics. It is crucial for athletes to adhere to anti-doping regulations and maintain the highest standards of sportsmanship.

Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has clarified that the Paris Diamond League on Sunday was never a part of his competition calendar this year. The statement came after a media report stated that Chopra pulled out of the event due to an adductor niggle that has been troubling him for the past couple of months.Chopra took to social media to clarify that there was no question of a withdrawal when he had not even entered his name for the event. "Hello, everyone. Just to clarify: the #ParisDL wasn't part of my competition calendar this season, so I haven't 'withdrawn' from it. I'm focusing on getting ready for the Olympic Games," Chopra posted.The 26-year-old was exempted from last week's National Inter-State Championships, which was a mandatory event for all Indian athletes, by the Athletics Federation Of India (AFI). The AFI said the relaxation was given to him due to the short turnaround time between the domestic event and the Diamond League on July 7.However, Chopra had indicated last month that his schedule would be decided according to the state of his body. "We had a discussion that I would play in the National Inter-State Championships (June 27-30) and it's going to be held in Panchkula in Haryana but it was very near to the Paris Olympics," Chopra had said."Since I was playing in Doha which is near to India. Moreover, there is Paris Diamond League (on July 7) between National Inter-State and Olympics. So, we decided to compete here (Federation Cup)," Chopra had said."Further competition schedule will be decided later according to situation and my body. Otherwise, I will go to Paris from there (after competing in Turku)."Chopra, who scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win a track and field medal at the Tokyo Olympics, had won the gold at the at the Paavo Nurmi Games last month. Following this, he had opened up about his adductor niggle which has affected his season, saying he will consult "different doctors" after the Paris Olympics.

Haryana's Kiran Pahal has etched her name in history by becoming the second Indian woman to qualify for the Paris Olympics in the women's 400 meters. At the ongoing National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, Haryana, Pahal clocked an impressive 50.92 seconds in the semifinal, surpassing the qualifying mark of 50.95 seconds.Pahal's remarkable performance not only secured her a berth at the prestigious Games but also marked her best timing of the season. She displayed exceptional speed and endurance, leaving her competitors behind. Devy Aniba Zala of Gujarat finished a distant second with a timing of 53.44, while Sneha K of Kerala came third with a time of 53.51.Pahal's qualification is a testament to her unwavering determination and rigorous training. She has consistently pushed her limits and showcased her exceptional talent on the track. Her achievement is a source of pride for India and inspires aspiring athletes across the nation.The Paris Olympics, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, will witness Pahal competing against the world's best in the women's 400 meters. Her qualification is a significant milestone in Indian athletics and raises expectations for a strong performance at the Games.

World Athletics and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee (LA28) have announced a groundbreaking shift in the competition schedule. In a historic move, athletics will now take center stage during the first week of the Olympic Games at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum. This unprecedented change marks the first time a stadium will host events at three Olympic Games.The decision to prioritize athletics in the opening week is a testament to the sport's global appeal and its ability to captivate audiences. By showcasing the world's greatest track and field athletes at the outset of the Games, LA28 aims to create an electrifying atmosphere and set the tone for an unforgettable Olympic experience."We are thrilled to support this visionary timetable change for LA28," said Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics. "This move underscores our commitment to innovation in athletics and elevating the global profile of our athletes. By prioritizing athletics in the first week, the Games will witness the most thrilling of starts, captivating audiences worldwide and setting the stage for an unforgettable Olympic journey for global audiences."The schedule adjustment, which sees swimming events move to the second week, is expected to unlock unparalleled opportunities for athletics in pre-Games promotion and Games-time viewership. The first-week scheduling positions athletics at the forefront of the Games, ensuring a strong start and sustained excitement throughout the event.The historic marathon events will remain over the last weekend, with medals presented during the closing ceremony – a tradition that befits an event that has been part of the programme since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.The swap allows athletics, for the first time in memory, to benefit from the high level of interest and excitement provided by the opening ceremony. And not just any opening ceremony, but one crafted in the storytelling and creative capital of the world in Los Angeles."Over the past months, LA28 has worked closely with World Athletics, World Aquatics, the IOC, and OBS to assess the opportunities around this competition schedule swap," said Janet Evans, Chief Athlete Officer of LA28. "We believe the positive effects of this change will extend beyond the two sports involved, strengthening the LA28 Games as a whole and ultimately benefiting all sports in the LA28 sport programme."The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will be held from 14-30 July 2028, featuring over 10,000 athletes from more than 200 nations competing in 35 sports currently in the LA28 sport programme. This marks the third time Los Angeles will host the Olympics, following the 1932 and 1984 Games.