{"id":22556,"date":"2021-07-06T21:00:06","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T15:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/?p=121170"},"modified":"2021-07-06T21:02:22","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T15:32:22","slug":"the-journey-of-indians-in-the-olympics-from-1900-in-paris-to-2016-rio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.businessupturn.com\/sports\/olympics\/the-journey-of-indians-in-the-olympics-from-1900-in-paris-to-2016-rio\/","title":{"rendered":"The journey of Indians in the Olympics from 1900 in Paris to 2016 Rio"},"content":{"rendered":"

The origin of the Olympic games dates back thousands of year\u2019s ago but the modern Olympics started in the year 1896. The first modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece. The 1896 Olympics had 280 participants from just 13 nations. Today the scenario is different, more than thousands of players from approx 196 countries participate in the Olympics.<\/p>\n

India participated in Olympics for the first time in the year 1900 & from then on many players have made the country proud with their stunning performance & achievements.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at the journey of Indians in the Olympics from 1900 \u2013 2016.<\/p>\n

Pre Independence Hockey: 3 gold medals<\/h4>\n

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India was under the British Raj but Indians dominated the Olympics with their amazing achievements.<\/p>\n

The Pre-Independence hockey team gave India major recognition at the global level. In 1928 during the Amsterdam Olympics Indian hockey team defeated the Netherlands 3 \u2013 0 & won their first gold medal. The hockey team dominated the Olympics from 1928 to 1936.<\/p>\n

In 1932, during the Summer Olympics India defeated the United States of America 24 -1. This is the largest margin of victory in the history of the Olympics. In 1936, again in the Summer Olympics India defeated Germany 8 \u2013 1 & this is the largest margin of victory ever in the Olympic finals.<\/p>\n

Major Dhyan Chand also known as \u2018The Wizard\u2019 was the greatest player ever of hockey & is credited with the domination of India in hockey.<\/p>\n

Post-Independence Hockey: 5 gold, 1 silver & 2 bronze medals<\/h4>\n
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Image courtesy: Olympics.com<\/p><\/div>\n

As India became independent in the year 1947, the Post Independence Hockey team participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics. This Summer Olympics was special as it was the first for independent India & what\u2019s more special is that the country which ruled India for over 2 centuries, Britain was defeated by India in the finals. The Indian hockey team won their first gold medal for India after independence.<\/p>\n

In the 1956 Summer Olympics, India defeated Pakistan in the finals. In the 1960 Summer Olympics, the hockey team lost their winning streak & settled for the silver medal. In the 1964 Summer Olympics India again won gold.<\/p>\n

First individual medal: Khashaba Jadhav (1952)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Image courtesy: Darpan Magazine.com<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1952 at the Helsinki Olympics, wrestler Khashaba Jadhav made history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in an individual sports.<\/p>\n

First & only medal in Tennis: Leander Paes (1996)<\/h4>\n
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Image courtesy: the bridge.in<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics, Leander Paes one of the most spectacular tennis players of India won a bronze medal. He reached the semi-finals but lost against Andre Agassi. Despite a defeat, Leander Paes achieved much more as he became the first & only Indian to achieve a medal in Tennis.<\/p>\n

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A truly resilient performance. @Leander<\/a> Paes is the first Indian and only tennis player to compete at seven Olympic Games. At Atlanta 1996, he won bronze despite a severely injured wrist. <\/p>\n

Watch more Great Olympic Moments https:\/\/t.co\/hFwxBgz42T<\/a>#StrongerTogether<\/a> #1YearToGo<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nVM5yFInTz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n