The year 2024 was a year of many seismic shifts and unforgettable memories, especially in the world of sports. From navigating controversies to celebrating triumphs and embracing transitions, the year has been full of opportunities, successes, and setbacks.
However, as we are preparing to conclude another year of joys and adventures, let us take a heartfelt journey back through 2024 and revisit some epic moments in sports that left an indelible mark in our hearts.
Paris Olympics 2024
This year, the Paris Olympics had been a mix of memorable moments, achievements, and controversies in the sports. Where the historic victory of shooter Manu Bhaker has left the Indians filled with pride and joy, the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat evoked grief and disappointment.
Manu Bhaker’s Historic Double Victory
Manu Bhaker, India’s 22-year-old shooter, won two bronzes, making her the first Indian shooter to achieve this historic feat.
Heartbroken Vinesh Phogat Retires from Wrestling
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being slightly overweight in the final moments of the game. This led to her missing out on a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. This shocking disqualification sparked lots of discussions and debates, citing a lack of support from India’s sports authorities, leading to her heartbroken moment at the Olympics and retirement from the sport.
A Moment of Triumph for India and Pakistan
Further, Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has also added a silver medal to his Olympic success. Known for his historic gold in the Tokyo Olympics, the sensational javelin thrower made his best record of 89.35 meters. His record was surpassed by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem.
Nadeem registered a world record of 92.97 meters in the men’s javelin throw, making him capture the gold at the Paris Olympics 2024.
However, besides celebrating his son’s triumph, Nadeem’s mother also expressed her pride and deep affection for Neeraj Chopra. She considered him like her own son and wished him all the luck for the future.
Paris Paralympics 2024
At the Paris Paralympics 2024, India’s inspirational para judoka athlete Kapil Parmer penned down history after capturing the first-ever medal in judo at the Paralympics 2024.
He defeated Elienton de Olivia, a Brazilian, with an “Ippon” (10-0) margin, earning the bronze medal in the men’s 60kg J1 category. This success came after he lost to Iranian S Banitaba Khorram in the semifinals.
Never Give Up Despite Health and Family Conditions
Hailing from a small village of Madhya Pradesh, Kapil Parmer has been playing judo since the early days of his childhood. He is the youngest of five siblings, and his family conditions were not good. During his childhood, he met with an accident and fell into a coma for six months. Despite facing all the conditions, his love for judo evolved, and he never gave up.
Sumit Antil Sets Two Records
Antil scored his two consecutive golds in the F64 category in javelin, making him the world record holder at the Paris Paralympics 2024. This feat also made him the first-ever Indian to break his own world records twice in his attempts. He clinched gold with a record of 70.59 meters, beating his previous record of 68.55 meters.
From Wrestler to Javelin Thrower: Destiny had Other Plans
This is to be noted that Sumit was a wrestler during his teen years in Sonipat, Haryana. However, the fate had other plans after he met with an accident while returning home from his tuitions, which led to the amputation of his left leg.
PHD Scholar Harvinder Singh Wins India’s First Para-Archery Gold
Singh, the 33-year-old para-archer, made a significant feat, scoring India’s first-ever gold in para-archery. He triumphed in the men’s individual recurve open competition, defeating Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek in the finals.
Hailing from a farmer’s family in Kaithal, Haryana, Harvinder Singh was just one and a half years old when he contracted with dengue. The treatment for the disease left him with impairment in both of the legs. However, as a grown-up, he found a passion in archery after watching the London Paralympics. He is right now pursuing a PhD in economics from Punjab University.
Cricket: ICC T20 World Cup
Moving to Cricket, India clinched the ICC T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa by 7 runs in a nail-biting final held at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, in Barbados. Virat Kohli was named player of the match for his crucial 76 runs off 59 balls.
Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the Player of the Tournament, showcasing his dominance in the T20 format. He took a total of 15 wickets during the tournament with an economy rate of 4.17.
Cricketing legends Bid farewell to T20
However, the 2024 T20 World Cup final was not just a celebration of triumph but also an emotional farewell for cricketing stars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Virat Kohli’s emotional speech on retirement comes post-victory, where he thanked fans and teammates and left many in tears. The hitman, Rohit Sharma’s contribution to cricket as an opener and captain has been forever monumental. Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement with a heartwarming message, leaving social media flooded with fans heartfelt messages and tributes.
Grandmaster D. Gukesh Becomes World Chess Champion
Another historic achievement comes with the youngest grandmaster, D. Gukesh, who became the World Chess Champion in 2024. He clinched the title by defeating the reigning champion, Ding Liren of China, in a thrilling match held in Singapore recently.
The championship was decided in the 14th game, where Ding Liren of China made a blunder, allowing D Gukesh a 7.5-6.5 victory. Gukesh took home $1.35 million as the winner of the Championship. This victory made Gukesh the second Indian to become the World Chess Champion, following in the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand.
Indian Women’s Victory at Asian Women’s Team Table Tennis Championship
Another historic moment comes when the Indian women’s team secured a historic medal by defeating South Korea in the Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Indian Women’s Victory in 2024 Asian Women’s Hockey Championship
The Indian women’s hockey team achieved a significant triumph at the 2024 Asian Women’s Champions Trophy, held in Rajgir, Bihar. They successfully defended their title by defeating China 1-0 in a thrilling final. Deepika scored the lone goal of the match with a controlled reverse hit in the 31st minute and was named as the Player of the Tournament, having scored 11 goals throughout the competition.
Rohan Bopanna Becomes Oldest Player to Reach World No. 1 Doubles Ranking
Bopanna achieved a remarkable milestone in 2024 by becoming the oldest player to reach the World No. 1 doubles ranking at the age of 43. Alongside his partner Matthew Ebden, he won the men’s doubles title at the 2024 Australian Open held on January 29, 2024. He had also become the oldest player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title by clinching the Miami Open Doubles title with Ebden.
Kanishka Malhotra is a seasoned journalist with a deep passion for reporting and uncovering the truth. With a specialization in research and investigative Journalism, she has covered wide range of topics related to social issues, travel, lifestyle, technology, Entertainment and much more. She believes to express and share her creativity to the world through words. With relentless pursuit of knowing and uncovering the truth, Kanishka continues to leave a mark in the world of journalism.
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