With four bronze and one shining silver medal India stand 64th in the medal tally of the ongoing Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, Pakistan, with their sole medal but a gold one, reside in the 53rd position. This 11-place gap between the arch-rivals, highlighted after the Men's Javelin Throw event at the 2024 Games, has left many wondering why. Let's explore this surprising twist in the standings. (Full Coverage | Medal Table | Schedule & Results)
On the night of August 8, Thursday, Neeraj Chopra, bearing the weight of India's gold medal hopes, could only manage a silver in the men's javelin throw with a mark of 89.45 meters, his second-best career throw. Out of six attempts, five were fouls, but his one valid throw was enough for silver.
The real shock came from Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, whose performance exceeded expectations. Nadeem delivered two throws over 90 meters, a feat Neeraj has been striving for throughout his illustrious career. Nadeem confirmed the yellow shining metal to his name in his second attempt with a record-breaking 92.97-meter throw. In his sixth attempt he made it to 91.79 meters, ending a 40-year gold medal drought for Pakistan.
Why Is India Behind Pakistan In Paris Olympics Medal Tally?
In the Olympics, there is one who rules - Gold, which shine brightest among all awards. Regardless of how many silver and bronze medals a nation collects, a single gold can overshadow them all.
Here at the Games, it's only by securing gold that a country truly competes for the highest level of rankings. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) places the countries based on the number of gold medals their athletes win.
If two countries are tied with the same number of gold medals, the count of silver medals is used to break the tie. In the case of India and Pakistan, if Neeraj Chopra’s team had secured a gold medal, India would be ranked higher due to its additional silver medal, placing Pakistan's sole gold below India in the standings. However, since India has not secured a gold this time, they fall out of contention when compared to nations with at least one gold medal.
So unfortunately, in the end, it’s the gold medals that tell the story of Olympic success.
India's Medals At The Paris Olympics 2024
Shooting - 3 Bronze
Manu Bhaker - Women's 10m air pistol
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singht - Mixed 10m air pistol
Swapnil Kusale - Men's 50 metre rifle three position
Hockey - 1 Bronze
India Men's National Hockey Team
Athletics - 1 Silver
Neeraj Chopra - Men's Javelin Throw
