"I miss being in Paris": Murali Sreeshankar on missing Paris Olympics 2024

NEW DELHI: India's top long jump athlete and Commonwealth Games medalist, Murali Sreeshankar, expressed his feelings about missing out on the Paris Olympics 2024.

Sreeshankar, who placed seventh in the world rankings, injured his left knee while training at Palakkad, his hometown, last month. He ruled himself out of the marquee multi-sport event as he opted for surgery following a series of consultations and tests, as per Olympics.com.

The 25-year-old underwent successful knee surgery this week in Doha, Qatar, after sustaining an injury that ruled him out of the ongoing mega event.

"I do miss being in Paris for the Olympics. It was very unfortunate, but I have no other option than to keep myself mentally strong and get back for the next Olympics, which is in Los Angeles. As a fan, I will be cheering on the Indian athletes who will be competing in Paris," Murali Sreeshankar, Olympics Expert on JioCinema and Sports18, said in a media conference.

With athletics set to kick off in the Olympics soon, reigning Olympic and World champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, will be in action during August. The qualifiers for the men's javelin throw event will take place on August 6 and the final will take place two days later.

Apart from Chopra, athletes like Avinash Sable (Men's 3000m Steeplechase), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Men's Shot Put), Parul Chaudhary (Women's 3000m Steeplechase), Jyothi Yarraji (Women's 100m Hurdles), Annu Rani (Women's Javelin Throw), and others will eye a medal in Paris.

Sreeshankar believes that India could end up with more than one medal in athletics this time.

Further, the athlete spoke about Javellin thrower Neeraj Chopra. He believes that Chopra is a medal contender, and this time around, he will go on to defend his gold medal.

"Neeraj Chopra is a strong medal contender and he will be going to defend his Olympic gold medal. There have been really good performances by other athletes, like Avinash Sable, and also in the long and triple jump. If things go well, I am sure we will see some surprises from Paris, like in the steeplechase, and the 4x400 relay event would be exciting to see as well. If everything falls right, then our athletes will close the medal tally with not just one medal," Sreeshankar added.

The Indian Athletics team touched down in Paris ahead of the track and field events in the ongoing Olympics 2024.

India's participation in athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympics is particularly noteworthy, with a strong lineup of athletes competing in various track and field events.

The country's sports authorities have placed a significant emphasis on athletics, investing in comprehensive training and development projects. This strategic focus aims to build on the successes of past games and improve India's medal tally in this discipline. From sprints to long-distance running, and from jumps to throws, Indian athletes are ready to make their mark and bring pride to the nation.