Year-ender 2024: India’s best sporting moments – D Gukesh’s world crown, T20 World Cup win, Manu Bhaker’s glory & more

2024 has been nothing short of thrills, excitement and entertainment in Indian sports. Across disciplines, the Indians, time and again rose to the top at the global stage, thus flying the country’s flag high and capturing the imaginations of millions of fans all over the world. Be it cricket, or chess or the Olympic sports, Indian athletes proved they are no leftovers, which will be remembered for generations.

If Rohan Bopanna proved age is just a number at the Australian Open 2024, Virat Kohli asserted the tag of a big-match player with his knock in the T20 World Cup final at Barbados. Coming from a Tokyo Olympics heartbreak, Manu Bhaker inspired millions of youngsters globally that mindset is what it takes to achieve glory while the likes of Indian men’s hockey team and Neeraj Chopra showed what it takes to maintain consistency at the Olympics stage. 

Let’s take a look at India best sporting moments from 2024: 

Age is just a number for Rohan Bopanna

Rohan Bopanna became the world’s oldest Grand Slam champion when the 43-year-old won the Australian Open men’s doubles title alongside Matthew Ebden to beat the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the final. Bopanna, thus surpassed Australian Ken Rosewall, who won a Grand Slam at 37. 

India end ICC trophy drought with T20 World Cup triumph 

India finally ended their ICC trophy drought on June 29, 2024. Having won the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy, the Men in Blue added a fourth global title in the cabinet, when Rohit Sharma’s young troops won the T20 World Cup, beating South Africa in the final in Barbados. The final will be remembered for Virat Kohli’s half-century and Jasprit Bumrah’s final spell, and the spectacular running catch by Suryakumar Yadav.      

Manu Bhaker – Nerves of steel 

Following her pistol malfunction at the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker proved how one can reach glory with a positive mindset. The 22-year-old became the first Indian shooter to win a Olympics medal in Paris when she grabbed bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She added another to her tally by finishing third on the podium alongside Sarabjot Singh in the mixed team 10m air pistol event. Bhaker could have added a third had she not finished fourth in the women’s 25m air pistol event. In the process, Bhaker became the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympics post-independence. 

Neeraj Chopra’s silver-lining 

Neeraj Chopra once again proved why he is one of the best in javelin with a silver medal finish at the Paris Olympics. Performing with a groin injury, Chopra threw his spear to a distance of 89.45m, behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who took home gold with a 92.97m. Chopra had won a javelin gold in Tokyo Olympics with a 87.58m.  

Back-to-back hockey medals at Olympics 

The Indian men’s hockey team maintained their medal-winning spree at the Olympics when they beat Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal playoff match at the Paris Olympics. It was also the first time in over five decades, since the 1972 Munich Olympics, that the Indian men’s hockey team won won back-to-back Olympic medals. With the win, India also gave fitting farewell to legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.  

D Gukesh conquers world at 18  

Last but not the least, India’s 2024 ended in a fitting fashion with D Gukesh beating Chinese Ding Liren in the World Chess championship 2024 in a grueling 14-game thrilling final and become the youngest-ever world champion at 18. Gukesh also became the second Indian after legendary Vishwanathan Anand to win a chess World Championship.