India’s Olympic campaign kicks off on Friday with archers taking the stage, aiming to surpass their record medal haul of seven from Tokyo. Among the medal contenders, Neeraj Chopra faces stiff competition from Jakub Valdlejch and Arshad Nadeem in the javelin throw. The men’s hockey team faces a challenging group stage, with Australia posing a significant threat. PV Sindhu, despite recent struggles, remains a medal hopeful but could face a showdown with reigning gold medalist Chen Yu Fei. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have a potential semifinal clash with Chinese top seeds in men’s doubles. Nikhat Zareen identifies Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu as her biggest challenge in the women’s 50kg boxing category. Vinesh Phogat, despite past Olympic disappointments, aims to break the curse and secure a medal in wrestling.
