The Paris Olympics have officially begun, marked by a spectacular opening ceremony on Friday, July 26. As the Games get underway, Indian athletes are preparing to make their mark, with Day 1 promising thrilling competitions across various disciplines.
On Saturday, July 27, India’s quest for medals begins with the 10m air rifle mixed team event, featuring both qualification and medal matches. Among the athletes to watch is Elavanel Valarivan, who, along with teammates Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta, and Ramita Jindal, aims to secure India’s first medals of the Olympics. Valarivan recently shared her journey and preparations, emphasizing that she approaches each competition with the same mindset, regardless of its scale.
In tennis, the legendary Rohan Bopanna, the oldest Indian athlete at this year’s Olympics, will be in action in the men’s doubles. Bopanna, alongside N Sriram Balaji, faces a challenging first-round match against France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Fabien Reboul. Bopanna’s experience and skill will be crucial in navigating this tough encounter.
The Indian men’s hockey team, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh and featuring star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, will kick off their campaign against New Zealand. With high expectations, the team will be looking to make a strong start in their quest for Olympic glory.
In badminton, all eyes will be on Lakshya Sen, who faces a formidable opponent in Kevin Cordon of Guatemala. Despite the tough draw, Sen’s resilience and determination have been evident throughout his career, making him a strong contender. The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, currently ranked World No. 3, will also begin their campaign, aiming to overcome the disappointment of their group stage exit at the Tokyo Olympics. They face France’s Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar in their opening match.
In rowing, Panwar Balraj will compete in the men’s singles sculls heats, adding another dimension to India’s diverse sporting representation on the first day of the Games. The 10m air pistol events will also feature Indian competitors, with Arjun Singh Cheema and Sarabjot Singh in the men’s qualification, and Manu Bhaker and Rhythm Sangwan in the women’s qualification, aiming to advance to the medal rounds.
Table tennis fans will witness Harmeet Desai taking on Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan in the men’s singles preliminary round, while in badminton, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will compete against Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong in the women’s doubles group match.
As the day progresses, the Indian men’s hockey team will face New Zealand in their group-stage match, a highly anticipated encounter set for 9 pm IST. The excitement will continue into the early hours of Sunday, with Preeti Pawar competing in the women’s 54kg boxing opening round against Vietnam’s Thi Kim Anh Vo at 12:05 am IST.
With a packed schedule and numerous opportunities for success, Indian athletes are poised to make a strong impact on Day 1 of the Paris Olympics. Fans across the nation will be eagerly watching as their heroes strive for glory on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
