Indian sailors at Olympic Games Paris 2024: History, Schedule, Medal chances

Sailing, a sport deeply rooted in Olympic history, tests athlete’s mastery over wind and water.

Olympic sailing features ten events across various disciplines, including windsurfing, kiteboarding, dinghy, and skiff racing, for both men and women, as well as mixed events.

Athletes compete in fleet races, navigating a pre-determined course using only the power of the wind, showcasing their tactical skills and adaptability to ever-changing conditions.

With a rich legacy of participation dating back to the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896, sailing continues to be a thrilling and dynamic part of the Games, captivating audiences with its blend of athleticism, strategy, and the raw power of nature.

Indian sailors at Paris Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics marks an important milestone in sailing for India, with the country fielding two qualified athletes Vishnu Saravanan in the Men's Dinghy ILCA 7 and Nethra Kumanan in the Women's Dinghy ILCA 6 events. 

Both Vishnu and Nethra competed at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago and have proven their mettle in other international competitions, bringing a sense of excitement to India's sailing aspirations.

Nethra qualified for the Paris Olympics at the Last Chance Regatta, an Olympic qualifier event in Hyeres, France, claiming the quota under the Emerging Nations Programme.

Nethra and Vishnu underwent a one-month training at Marseille, the venue for sailing at Paris 2024. Hungarian Coach Tamas Eszes and Croatian coach Milan Vujasinovic oversaw the preparations of the two Indian sailors. 

During the one-month training camp at Marseille, Vishnu was blessed to share the training with the Tokyo and Rio Olympics silver medallist Tonci Stipanovic and London Olympics silver medallist Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus.

Vishnu is an Asian Games bronze medallist from the Hangzhou Games and qualified for the Paris Olympics by finishing 26th out of 152 sailors at the ILCA7 World Championships in Adelaide.

Medal chances 

While both Vishnu and Nethra have proven their talent by qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the competition in sailing remains fierce.

Vishnu's bronze medal-winning performance at the Asian Games and gold medal at the Europa Cup in Spain is a promising sign of his competitive edge.

However, converting that success into an Olympic podium finish requires navigating unpredictable conditions and outmanoeuvring a field of top-tier sailors.

Nethra faces an equally uphill task.

While a medal might be a challenging aspiration, their participation alone signifies a significant step forward for Indian sailing.

Schedule ( Indian Standard Time) 

August 1

Men's Dinghy Race 1 and Race 2 - 3:45 PM 

Women's Dinghy Race 1 and Race 2 - 7:05 PM

August 2 

Women's Dinghy Race 3 and Race 4 -  3:45 PM

Men's Dinghy Race 3 and Race 4 - 7:05 PM

August 3 

Men's Dinghy Race 5 and Race 6 - 3:45 PM

Women's Dinghy Race 5 and Race 6 -  5:55 PM 

August 4

Men's Dinghy Race 7 and Race 8 - 3:35 PM

Women's Dinghy Race 7 and Race 8 -  6:05 PM

August 5

Women's Dinghy Race 9 and Race 10 -  3:45 PM

Men's Dinghy Race 9 and Race 10 - 6:10 PM

August 6

Women's Dinghy Medal Race -  6:13 PM

Men's Dinghy Medal Race-  7:13 PM

Indian sailors at previous Olympics

Indian sailors' journey at the Olympics started in the 1972 Munich Olympics, with Soli Contractor and A.A. Basith competing in the Flying Dutchman class.

The nation's participation continued in subsequent Olympics, with sailors like Farokh Tarapore consistently representing India in the 470 class throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

The 2004 Athens Games saw Malav Shroff and Sumeet Patel compete in the 49er class, while Nachhatar Singh Johal represented India in the Finn class at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Although India had yet to secure a medal in sailing, a significant milestone was achieved at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when Nethra became the first Indian woman sailor to qualify for the Olympics, competing in the Laser Radial class, marking a historic moment for Indian sailing. 

Now with experience of competing at the Olympics, Vishnu and Nethra will look to batter the performance of Indian sailing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.