And here we are, once again, with the Olympics. From India’s perspective, it was a good Games: one silver and five bronze medals, which is India’s second-best haul at the Games.
With four years left until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, definitive predictions are hard to make. But what’s the fun in making predictions only when they’re backed by empirical evidence? So here’s a list of our (very, very) early predictions from an Indian perspective for LA 2028.
INDIA’S OLYMPIC MEDAL RECORD | INDIA AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS | LATEST OLYMPIC NEWS |
India will reach double-digit medal rankings
Some will say this should have happened in Paris, and with a little more luck it might have. But in the end, India’s haul of seven medals in Tokyo remains the best.
Olympic Games in Paris: How India won six medals
Paris was encouraging considering how many Indian athletes made it to the finals and how close many of them were to a medal – as evidenced by the six fourth-place finishes. India is not far from reaching double figures. With the addition of some attractive sports to the Olympic programme, India should hit the magic double-digit mark in Los Angeles.
Lakshya Sen will be on the winner’s podium in the men’s singles
When Viktor Axelsen says that, how can you disagree? The two-time Olympic champion described Lakshya Sen as one of the big contenders for the gold medal in LA after the semifinal here, which Axelsen won in straight sets despite having a scare in both matches.
Lakshya is only 22 and still has a lot of badminton ahead of him. Like at the Thomas Cup 2022 and then at the Asian Games last year before these Olympics, he has shown time and again that he can raise his level even at big tournaments.
Keep going bro. You should be really proud of yourself. I wish all the semi-finalists could get a medal because you definitely deserve one.
Congratulations to all of you on your fantastic performance at the Games.
– Viktor Axelsen (@ViktorAxelsen) 7 August 2024
Repeat of the South Asian double victory in the javelin throw
The idea of Pakistan and India sharing the top two spots on the podium at the end of a javelin competition is absurd enough. They couldn’t do it again, could they? Well, Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem are both going nowhere. Neeraj still has his robust system behind him and will be ready to make up for missing gold here in Paris. Nadeem’s gold should ensure that his problems with sponsors and opportunities are now a thing of the past.
Nadeem and Neeraj’s stunning Olympic result: South Asia 2, Rest of the World 1
Both men are still in peak form and could reach their physical peak at the LA Games. India and Pakistan. Javelin. It’s a stronghold now, it could well become an empire.
Smriti Mandhana will be the first Indian female cricket captain to win Olympic gold
Wouldn’t that be something special? This prediction was made on the assumption that the women’s tournament would come first – as was the case with the Asian Games.
Either way, the Indian women’s dismal streak in major knockout cricket matches should soon come to an end. Eventually, there will be a return to mediocrity that would put them right side of a big game. The core of this current Indian women’s team is so good, even at such a young age, that it really isn’t an outlandish prediction that they will win in LA. Of course, a certain team in green and gold will have something to say (and do) about that.
India will have another medalist from Chhatrasal
Perhaps the easiest prediction of all, Chhatrasal Wrestling Finishing School is an incredible conduit for Indian Olympic medals and it continued its proud history with Aman Sehrawat’s bronze medal in Paris.
The reason there is no specific name for this: Who would have thought in 2021 that Ravi Dahiya, who won the silver medal, would be replaced by Aman in the same category? Chhatrasal will groom someone for the big stage. There is enough evidence for India to believe in it.
Anmol Kharb becomes India’s third medalist in badminton
Following in the footsteps of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu is no easy task. Nor is it easy to follow such an important win at such a young age with consistent performances. Teenager Anmol Kharb found that out after she was India’s star at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in early 2024. She beat several higher-ranked players in matches under great pressure.
India had won three consecutive medals in women’s singles in badminton until Tokyo, but that streak was broken in Paris. Kharb has a precocious talent and a refreshing attitude, as she showed earlier this year. Now it’s just a matter of adding consistency.
Anahat Singh will win the first squash medal at the Olympic Games
Well, that may sound crazy. But why only make certain predictions?
By the age of 15, Anahat Singh was already winning medals at the Asian Games. She also quickly became India’s best female squash player. What a moment to step into the spotlight for a sport that will have its biggest moment yet in Los Angeles when squash becomes part of the Olympic program.
Anahat is undoubtedly one of the best junior players in the world at the moment and is improving with every tournament she plays at the senior level. Indian squash greats like Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal may be too old to pick up a racket in LA but Anahat can surely win for them all.
Sreejesh in Paris, Harmanpreet in LA, a few steps higher
Between now and the LA Olympics, there will be changes in the Indian men’s hockey team. One thing that will not change is the captain. It is both scary (for the rest of the world) and reassuring (for Indians) that Harmanpreet Singh is only 28 years old.
He is now coach Craig Fulton’s general. He just inspired his team to a bronze medal. The young up-and-comers are showing so much potential. Fulton will oversee these changes but will still build his team around his captain. Much like PR Sreejesh did in Paris, there is a possibility that LA sees the team wanting to play for Harmanpreet.
Of course, as Graham Reid discovered after Tokyo, the risk of falling flat on your face is also very high, but if Fulton continues in the same way over the next four years, the first gold medal since Moscow 1980 should not be far away.
