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India's men's hockey team made a winning start to their Paris Olympics campaign, edging out New Zealand 3-2 in a thrilling Pool B encounter on Saturday. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh emerged as the hero, scoring the decisive goal from the spot a minute before full time.New Zealand drew first blood through Sam Lane's penalty corner in the 8th minute. However, India responded with a penalty corner conversion by Mandeep Singh in the 24th minute. Vivek Sagar Prasad gave India the lead four minutes into the second half, but Simon Child equalized for New Zealand with another penalty corner in the 53rd minute.As the match entered its final stages, India pressed relentlessly for the winning goal. Sukhjeet Singh's smart play earned them a penalty corner, which was initially saved by New Zealand goalkeeper Dominic Dixon. However, the ball struck Child on the body, resulting in a penalty stroke. Harmanpreet stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick to secure a vital victory for India.Despite the win, India's chief coach Craig Fulton may have some concerns about the team's penalty corner conversion rate. India earned five penalty corners but converted only one, while New Zealand had nine set pieces and utilized two.India will face a formidable challenge in their next Pool B match against Argentina on Monday.

India's Olympic Odyssey Begins: Day 1 Schedule UnveiledThe stage is set for the Paris Olympics 2024, and India's athletes are poised to make their mark from the very first day. On July 26, a host of Indian stars will take to the field, court, and range, eager to showcase their skills and bring glory to their nation.Badminton: Shetty and Rankireddy Lead the ChargeIndia's badminton contingent will be spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. The pair will face Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar of France in their men's doubles group match, aiming to secure a top spot in their group.Shooting: Eyes on the TargetIndia's shooters will also be in action on Day 1. Sandeep Singh and Elavenil Valarivan, along with Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal, will compete in the 10m air rifle mixed team qualification. They will need to finish in the top four to advance to the gold medal match.Hockey: Men in Blue Face New ZealandThe Indian men's hockey team will kick off their Olympic campaign against New Zealand in a Pool B match. The team will be looking to start their tournament with a strong performance and set the tone for the rest of their matches.Boxing: Preeti Pawar's Olympic DebutPreeti Pawar will make her Olympic debut in the women's 54kg boxing category. She will face Thi Kim anh Vo of Vietnam in the opening round, with a victory securing her a spot in the Round of 16.Rowing: Panwar Balraj Takes to the WaterPanwar Balraj will represent India in the men's single sculls rowing event. He will be aiming to qualify for the main draw of the competition and make a strong impression on the Olympic stage.Table Tennis: Harmeet Desai's Preliminary ChallengeHarmeet Desai will face Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan in the men's singles preliminary round of table tennis. A victory will earn him a place in the main draw of the Round of 64.Tennis: Bopanna and Balaji Aim for Round of 16Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji will team up in the men's doubles first round match of tennis. They will face Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Fabien Reboul of France, with a win securing their place in the Round of 16.

India's Olympic medal tally officially stands at 35, but the legitimacy of its first two medals, won by Norman Pritchard in 1900, remains shrouded in doubt.Pritchard, an athlete residing in Kolkata (then Calcutta), claimed silver medals in the 200m and 200m hurdles at the Paris Olympics. However, his dual representation of the London Athletic Club and the Bengal Presidency Athletic Club raised questions about his nationality.The official Olympic program listed Pritchard as representing "England" in the 100m and "British India" in the 100m hurdles. Historian Ian Buchanan suggested that Pritchard participated independently, while The New York Times referred to him as an "Englishman."After his Olympic success, Pritchard served as secretary of the Indian Football Association but later moved permanently to the United States. He pursued an acting career under the name "Norman Trevor."Despite the official recognition of Pritchard's medals as belonging to India, his origins and conflicting reports from the 1900 Olympics cast a shadow over their legitimacy. Some argue that Pritchard's medals should be attributed to England or to an independent entity, given his dual representation and the lack of a clear national affiliation.The mystery surrounding Pritchard's medals highlights the complexities of national identity and representation in the early days of the Olympic Games. It also raises questions about the criteria for determining which country an athlete represents, especially in cases of dual citizenship or multiple club affiliations.

Shubhankar Sharma, the Indian golf sensation, has turned the tables on Royal Troon Golf Club after enduring a tumultuous start to The Open Championship. On Saturday, in the third round played under relatively favorable conditions, Sharma unleashed a blistering four-under par 67, significantly improving his position heading into the final round.The conditions were a stark contrast to the relentless battering Sharma faced in the first two rounds. Thursday's rain and wind gave way to Friday's gusts reaching almost 50 kilometers per hour. Sharma's group bore the brunt of the worst weather, but he remained undeterred."I made the most of the conditions today," said Sharma. "I got off to a hot start and hit it really well. I was struggling with energy after yesterday, but I'm happy with my round."Despite the sun's absence, Sharma made hay on the course, producing eight birdies. Royal Troon remained a formidable foe, however, and a double bogey on the 15th hole was the only blemish on his day.Undeterred, Sharma responded with a spectacular 30-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and another birdie on the 18th following a pinpoint iron shot. He also had a chance on the difficult par-3 17th hole, where his birdie putt from 19 feet shaved the cup."I'm not disappointed with the double bogey," said Sharma. "We just got a bad ruling there. I'm delighted with my score."Sharma's resilience is a testament to his character. He secured his spot at The Open this year with an eighth-place finish at Royal Liverpool last year, where he played a battling final round in heavy rain without making a single bogey."Royal Troon is a much tougher course," said Sharma. "But I'm happy I knuckled down and played well yesterday for a one-over. It makes the birthday celebrations much better than doing it after a missed cut."

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's Olympic journey has been a rollercoaster ride, marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Since gaining independence in 1947, India has participated in every edition of the Summer Olympics, showcasing its prowess in various sports.Early Dominance in Hockey:India's golden era in hockey began in 1928, when the team won its first Olympic gold medal. They went on to dominate the sport, winning six consecutive golds from 1928 to 1960. The team's success was largely attributed to legendary players like Dhyan Chand and Kishan Lal.Challenges and Setbacks:However, India's dominance in hockey faced challenges in the 1960s. In 1960, Pakistan defeated India for the first time in Olympic history, ending their golden run. The 1976 Montreal Olympics marked a turning point, as India failed to win a medal in hockey for the first time since 1928.Individual Successes:Despite the setbacks in hockey, India has produced several individual medalists in other sports. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won the first individual medal for independent India in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Milkha Singh narrowly missed out on a bronze in the 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics.Women's Hockey and Other Sports:Women's hockey made its Olympic debut in 1980, and India's women's team has since made significant progress. They finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, their best performance to date. India has also seen success in other sports, including weightlifting (Karnam Malleswari), shooting (Abhinav Bindra), and wrestling (Sushil Kumar).Recent Successes:The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was a historic one for India, as the country won a record seven medals. Neeraj Chopra became India's first Olympic gold medalist in athletics since 1900, while the men's hockey team won bronze, their first medal in the sport since 1980. PV Sindhu became a double Olympic medalist in badminton, and Lovlina Borgohain won bronze in boxing.Conclusion:India's Olympic journey has been a testament to the country's sporting prowess and resilience. From the golden era of hockey to the recent successes in various sports, India has consistently showcased its ability to compete at the highest level. As the country prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics, it will be hoping to continue its Olympic legacy and bring home more medals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed confidence in India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics and has urged athletes bound for the Paris Games to share their observations on the arrangements in the French capital. Modi believes that the athletes' insights will be invaluable in helping the government prepare for the quadrennial event in New Delhi.In a meeting with Paris-bound athletes, Modi emphasized the importance of creating a sporting atmosphere in India and highlighted the ongoing efforts to develop infrastructure for the 2036 Games. He urged the athletes to observe the arrangements in Paris and provide feedback on how India can improve its preparations."We are hoping to host the Olympics in 2036, it will help in creating a sporting atmosphere (in the country). Work is in progress to prepare infrastructure for it," Modi said.The meeting was attended by the national men's hockey team, the shooting contingent, boxers, and track-and-field stars such as Neeraj Chopra. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Indian Olympic Association (IAO) President P T Usha were also present.Modi's request for feedback underscores India's determination to host the Olympics and its willingness to learn from the experiences of other host cities. The upcoming Games in Paris will be held from July 26 to August 11, and India hopes to surpass its best-ever tally of seven medals, including Chopra's historic javelin throw gold in Tokyo.Over 100 Indian sportspersons have qualified for the Paris Games, including an unprecedented 21 shooters. India has repeatedly expressed its desire to host the Olympics and has received support from International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Thomas Bach.However, securing the rights to host the 2036 Games will be a competitive process, with strong contenders such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia expected to bid. A decision on the host city is not expected before next year's IOC elections, where a new President will be elected.

Tulika Maan has become the first Indian judoka to secure a quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 25-year-old achieved this feat by securing a continental quota in the women's +78kg division, as per the latest rankings released by the International Judo Federation (IJF).Maan, who hails from Bhopal, has been a consistent performer at the national and international levels. She has participated in the 2017 World Championships in Budapest and the 2017 Tokyo World Judo Championship. She also clinched a silver medal at the Asian Open in Kuwait in 2023.During the qualification period from June 22, 2022, to June 23, 2024, Maan accumulated 1345 ranking points. This placed her 36th in the standings, securing a continental quota for India.The National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have the exclusive authority to select athletes to represent their countries at the Olympic Games. NOCs must confirm their use of quota places by July 2.Judo was first introduced to the Olympic program at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Despite being dropped from the 1968 Mexico City Games, it has been a regular fixture since the 1972 Munich Olympics.Avtar Singh (men's 90kg) was the last Indian to compete in judo at the Olympics, in Rio 2016. India is yet to win an Olympic medal in judo.The judo competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympics will be held at the Champ-de-Mars Arena from July 27 to August 3. A total of 372 judokas, 186 each in men's and women's events, will compete for Olympic glory.

India's ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games is gaining momentum, with sports administrators preparing to lobby hard during the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) of the Sports Authority of India has submitted a detailed report to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, outlining the measures necessary for a successful bid.The report identifies six disciplines for potential inclusion in the 2036 Olympics if India's bid is successful: yoga, kho kho, kabaddi, chess, T20 cricket, and squash. These indigenous sports would not only enhance India's medal chances but also showcase the country's rich sporting heritage.However, the road ahead is not without challenges. India will need to extend support to other nations to ensure that these sports have a global presence. The proposed events will first need to be introduced as demonstration events in the 2032 Brisbane Games before receiving final approval.The MOC has also identified the need to address doping, increase accountability in national federations, and attract private investment in sports. India will face stiff competition from countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China for the hosting rights.Despite the challenges, the MOC is confident in India's ability to prepare for the bid. The inclusion of indigenous sports would not only boost India's medal tally but also promote the country's cultural identity on a global stage.