Indian athletes will break all previous records in Paris Olympics, claims Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

The countdown to the Paris Olympics 2024 Games has begun. With this, the hope of seeing Indian athletes shine on the global stage has increased. The players are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations for the games. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur expressed confidence that the athletes will reflect the new India at Paris 2024 due to their fearless and competitive nature. Anurag Thakur shares his views with IANS on the Paris Games, Khelo India, anti-doping programs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support for athletes. The minister particularly mentioned PM Modi's unique approach to encouraging the athletes without putting undue pressure on them.

How is the preparation of the athletes going and how many medals do you expect this time? In response to this question, Anurag Thakur said that I am confident that our athletes will return with the best medals in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. My confidence stems from their hard work and determination, supported by the coaching staff, support staff and the Ministry through the Sports Authority of India and their National Sports Federations. I am confident that the athletes will reflect the new India with their fearless and competitive nature.

PM Modi, according to Thakur, is the one who has led the pressure on athletes to win medals. He interacts with athletes in a way that has never been seen before or after big competitions. He has frequently urged them to compete fiercely without becoming overly preoccupied with the outcome. Because of this, athletes can now compete at their highest level without worrying about meeting standards.

Furthermore, for Khelo India, Anurag Thakur stated that the programme is a national sports initiative. Competitions such as the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India University Games, Khelo India Winter Games, and Khelo India Para Games are not the only things involved. The Khelo India scheme includes infrastructure development as a key component. Since 2014, about 331 projects totalling Rs 2943.64 crore have been approved.