Top 10 best moments of Indian sports in 2024

Sporting moments are memorable events in the world of sports. These instances may include remarkable achievements, surprising outcomes, displays of exceptional skill, or thrilling comebacks. Such occurrences can profoundly impact both the sports community and society at large on an emotional level. They may inspire others to engage in sports or pursue their dreams. Fans might feel intense joy and satisfaction, and at times even a thrill, when they observe such occurrences.

Indian sports experienced an exceptional year in 2024, especially highlighted by the remarkable achievements at the Paralympic Games. Throughout the year, numerous inspiring moments and remarkable comebacks were witnessed, alongside some poignant outcomes and unexpected events.

From getting emotional for the men’s cricket team to witnessing a chess world champion, Indian fans stood for the Indian national anthem seven times at the Paralympic Games and many more.

In this article, let’s look at the top 10 best moments of Indian sports in the year 2024.

10. Amit Kumar Saroha’s student Dharambir wins gold medal on Teacher’s Day Eve

Dharambir Nain secured India's fifth gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, achieving this honor in the Men's Club Throw F51 event. Following a tragic accident in which he miscalculated the water depth and collided with a submerged rock, resulting in paralysis, Dharambir turned to para sports for his rehabilitation. He received coaching from fellow athlete Amit Kumar Saroha.

On the eve of Teacher’s Day, Dharambir honored his coach with an exceptional gift by securing the gold medal at the Paris Paralympics. His fellow countryman Pranav achieved the silver medal, thereby guaranteeing a 1-2 finish for India in the competition. The trio subsequently rang the bell together at the Stade de France, creating one of the most memorable moments in Indian sports history.

9. India beats South Korea to win historic medal at Asian Women’s Table Tennis Team Championships

The prominence of Indian table tennis on the global stage has been increasing rapidly. In recent years, our players have achieved numerous historic milestones, including securing a bronze medal in women’s doubles at the Asian Games and advancing to the Olympic quarterfinals in singles for the first time. A further remarkable achievement occurred when the Indian women's team defeated South Korea (3-2) to secure a place in the semifinals at the Asian Table Tennis Championships held in China.

Ayhika Mukherjee played a pivotal role in India's victory, securing a win against World Ranking #8 Shin Yu-bin in the initial match and subsequently overcoming World Ranking #16 Jeon Ji-hee in the final game. Manika Batra contributed by winning the second match against Jeon Ji-hee, establishing a 2-0 advantage for India, which proved to be crucial for the overall outcome.

8. Indian women’s team defeat Thailand to win Badminton Asian Team Championships

Despite the Indian shuttlers experiencing a challenging 2024 season, the Indian women's team provided a source of joy for their supporters by securing the gold medal at the Badminton Asian Team Championships. This marked a historic achievement, as India had never previously won a medal in this tournament and was not regarded as a frontrunner, especially given their relatively young team and the presence of PV Sindhu.

India faced China in the group stages and with wins from PV Sindhu, Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand and Anmol Kharb, India defeated China to top the group. In the quarter-final, they defeated Hong Kong (3-0) to reach the semis. Anmol Kharb emerged as the standout performer of the tournament, securing victories against the World Ranking #29 from Japan and the World Ranking #45 from Thailand in the semifinals and final, respectively, thereby leading India to claim the championship.

7. India men’s hockey team defeat Great Britain in Paris Olympics quarter-final with 10 players

The Indian men's hockey team showcased an extraordinary performance that will be etched in memory for years to come. In a thrilling quarter-final match at the Olympics, India triumphed over Great Britain with a score of 1(4)-1(2) in a tense shootout, despite playing with only ten men for the majority of the game. 

The team's remarkable resilience and resolve were evident as they navigated the challenge posed by Amit Rohidas's red card, issued in the 17th minute. India demonstrated exceptional defensive hockey, exhibiting remarkable unity and resilience to achieve victory.

6. Indian men’s cricket team win an ICC Trophy after 11 years

The long-anticipated moment for an ICC Trophy has finally arrived this year, as India were crowned the champions of the T20 World Cup 2024, hosted in the USA and West Indies. Following a devastating defeat in the World Cup final on home soil last year, the Indian team demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength to secure the title.

India triumphed over South Africa by a margin of eight runs on the challenging pitches of the USA and West Indies, securing their second T20 World Cup title and their first since 2007. The final match did not begin favorably for India, as they lost three wickets in quick succession. However, crucial performances from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel enabled India to set a competitive total.

South Africa experienced the loss of two early wickets; however, the partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Quinton de Kock helped to stabilize their innings. Heinrich Klaasen's rapid fifty subsequently placed South Africa in a commanding position within the match. Just as it appeared that the Proteas were on the verge of dominating the game, India bounced back by claiming two consecutive wickets. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav collaborated effectively to secure the World Cup for India, with Yadav executing a remarkable catch off Pandya's delivery to dismiss David Miller.

5. Historic double gold in Chess Olympiad

This year has been remarkable for Indian chess. Notable achievements include Gukesh's victory at the Candidates Tournament, which secured his place in the World Championship match, and Arjun Erigaisi's impressive ascent to 2800 Elo points. Among the many highlights, a particularly outstanding moment was India's triumph in securing gold medals for both the men's and women's teams at the 45th Chess Olympiad.

The Indian men's team, consisting of Arjun, Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa, and Pentala Harikrishna, achieved victory in the Olympiad through an impressive performance. The team secured 10 wins and recorded only one draw.

On the other hand, the women’s team comprising Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Vaishali Rameshbabu and Tania Sachdev also won the competition with a score of 19/22. With this, India became the third country to win the double Olympiad gold, following in the footsteps of China and the former Soviet Union.

4. Vinesh Phogat stuns four-time world champion Yui Susaki at Paris Olympics

Vinesh Phogat competed in the 50kg category at the Olympics, where she created the upset of a decade by defeating Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and four-time World Champion Yui Susaki. Susaki, known for her exceptional prowess in the 50kg wrestling division, had not experienced a loss in any international match prior to her encounter with Vinesh. Notably, she secured the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics without allowing any points against her.

On that remarkable day, Vinesh accomplished the extraordinary, uplifting the spirits of the entire nation. The 30-year-old Indian athlete maintained her composure, displayed a defensive strategy throughout the match, and consistently preserved her momentum. In the final 20 seconds, she capitalized on her chance, successfully executing a takedown to clinch victory. Unfortunately, she faced disqualification on the morning of the final after being found to exceed the weight limit by 100 grams.

3. Manu Bhaker wins double Olympic medal

Manu Bhaker has emerged as a prominent figure in Indian shooting following her success at the Paris Olympics, where she won two medals. She achieved a bronze medal in both the 10m Air Pistol and the mixed team events, the latter in collaboration with Sarabjot Singh.

Manu made history as the first athlete from Independent India to secure two Olympic medals in a single edition. Nevertheless, the path to this achievement was fraught with challenges. Rising to prominence at a young age, Manu was regarded as a strong contender for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

She performed admirably during the qualification round; however, a malfunction with her pistol caused her to lose focus, resulting in her failure to qualify for the finals of the 10m air pistol event. Additionally, Manu did not meet expectations in both the 25m and 10m mixed team events. This led to significant criticism from both fans and experts.

Prior to the Paris Olympics, she faced significant criticism, with many asserting that she would not secure even a single medal. However, she proved her detractors wrong by earning two valuable medals for her nation.

2. D Gukesh becomes youngest chess world champion

Dommaraju Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion at just 18 years old. He defeated China’s Ding Liren with a score of 7.5-6.5 to claim the title. Gukesh is now the second Indian to achieve this prestigious title and the 18th individual to be crowned as a world champion.

Prior to this triumph, Gukesh had not secured a victory against Ding Liren in classical chess, having suffered one defeat at his hands. In the concluding match of the 14-game tournament, which lasted three weeks, the positions of both competitors were evenly matched, suggesting that the contest was likely to proceed to a tiebreak.

However, Ding committed a significant error by moving Rf2 (Rook to f2 on the chessboard). Gukesh quickly identified the blunder and was astonished, coming to the realization that he was on the verge of becoming the World Champion. Upon acknowledging his mistake, Ding resigned, while Gukesh, filled with emotion, was unable to contain his tears as he celebrated this momentous victory.

1. Sheetal Devi’s inspirational performance in Paris

Sheetal Devi, the sole female international para-archer to achieve remarkable success in the sport despite the absence of upper limbs, emerged as a source of inspiration for many during the Paris Paralympics. At just 17 years of age, she was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital condition characterized by underdeveloped limbs. Nevertheless, Sheetal demonstrated to the world the strength of her determination.

She finished second in the individual qualification round with a score of 703, breaking the previous world record. Nevertheless, Oznur from Turkey took first place with a score of 704, establishing a new world record. Throughout her match, Sheetal garnered significant admiration from the audience. Although she missed out on an individual medal, she won a bronze in the mixed-team event alongside Rakesh Kumar, ensuring she didn’t return from Paris empty-handed.

Cover Credits - Chess.com