The Paris Olympic Games 2024 have concluded, with India securing a total of 5 medals: 4 bronze and 1 silver. Despite surpassing Pakistan in medal count, India finds itself ranked lower due to the International Olympic Committee’s ranking system, which prioritizes gold medals.
India’s medal hopes rested heavily on javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who had emerged as a gold medal contender after wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification. However, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem shattered those hopes, claiming the gold medal and setting a new Olympic record. This victory propelled Pakistan ahead of India in the overall medals tally.
As of Day 13, Pakistan stood at 53rd in the standings with a single gold medal, while India occupied 64th place with one silver and four bronze. The ranking discrepancy stems from the IOC’s system, which places greater value on gold medals. Silver and bronze medals are only considered in the event of a tie in gold medal count.
Arshad’s triumph marked Pakistan’s first individual Olympic gold medal in four decades. Prior to this, the nation had only won gold medals in field hockey, with three victories in 1960, 1968, and 1984. Pakistan’s Olympic medal history also includes two individual bronze medals in wrestling (1960) and boxing (1988). The country’s last Olympic medal was a bronze in field hockey at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
India’s medal haul in Paris included a silver in weightlifting by Mirabai Chanu and bronze medals in wrestling (Bajrang Punia), boxing (Lovlina Borgohain), badminton (PV Sindhu), and hockey (men’s team). While these medals represent a commendable achievement, India’s lower ranking highlights the importance of gold medals in the Olympic ranking system.
