For sports lovers, 2024 will be such a hectic year – more than one screen and a couple of remotes may be needed to catch all the action. Much hype surrounds the Paris Olympics, but that alone is not the main show. In the lead-up to the Olympics, how athletes make a last-minute dash to attain the qualifying standards is awaited with bated breath.
RevSportz has already done some interesting pieces on how Indian sport is pregnant with possibilities vis-a-vis medal chances in Paris, and how the Para athletes will also make a big mark. But then, the Olympics is not just about one nation like India, but how the big guns (US, Great Britain and China) come out firing on the big stage.
Compared to the last Olympics held in Tokyo three years ago, there will be a big change. Athletes will not be showcasing their skills to win medals in front of empty stands. The long shadow of the Covid-19 virus had led to a virtual lockdown in Tokyo, with no spectators and all events being held in a Bio Bubble.
It was so hard to digest, but there was no choice. If Neeraj Chopra could win a gold medal in javelin in such an atmosphere, there is every reason to believe more Indians can try and emulate him in Paris. There is no fear of the virus and training of all athletes will be in beast mode.
Tokyo is also remembered for how Simone Biles, the legendary US gymnast, almost broke down due to mental-health issues before she picked herself up to win two medals. The trauma she had undergone at the hands of coach Larry Nassar had left her shattered.
Luckily, Biles has been able to regroup and perform well again, with her superlative showing at the World Championship in Antwerp in October 2023 bringing her back into focus. The five medals won in Antwerp were proof that she will be ready to wow everyone in Paris. After all, she is now in much better space and happy after getting married to Jonathan Owens, the NFL star, last year.
There will be many more athletes who will aim to shine like Biles at the Paris Olympics, though only swimming may offer a chance for one athlete to win multiple medals.
From the Mark Spitz era to the Michael Phelps age, where he won 28 medals in the Olympics, swimming has been the showpiece event of the Summer Olympics.
Over the last few days we’ve looked back at the various sporting moments for India in 2023.
On the last day of the year, here’s @BoriaMajumdar looking ahead at 2024 in Indian sports. #AFCAsianCup2024, #Paris2024, #T20WorldCup and more! @AgeasFederal #HappyEnding… pic.twitter.com/mE9zWzDROz
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) December 31, 2023
Apart from Paris, the focus to a large extent will be on the UEFA European Football Championship, to be played in Germany from June 14 to July 14. Italy go in as defending champions, but one must not forget that they have not made the cut for the last two FIFA World Cup finals. So, to make any prediction on favourites this time in this blue riband event would be risky.
The way football has caught the attention of sports lovers, even someone who is not an addict of the “Beautiful Game” will watch the Euros from first kick-off. Germany is a great host and, despite half a decade of misery in major tournaments, could also fancy their chances to do well at home. Closer to the dates, a clearer picture will emerge, especially when it comes to how many players are injury-free and the team compositions.
If the Euro event will be enchanting, the Copa America will also grab eyeballs. This time, the United States of America is the host in the summer of 2024. Argentina are the defending champions, as well as being the FIFA World Cup holders, so they will be the main focus. With Lionel Messi keeping fans guessing about his retirement, he will once again be the player most in focus.
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Talk of other major sporting events, and tennis’s four Grand Slams will be thrilling. The way Novak Djokovic has monopolised the majors, and Iga Swiatek has emerged as the queen, this racquet sport will produce sparks, with Melbourne hosting the Australian Open from January 14 to 28. Three more Slams in Paris, London and New York will again be watched with interest. The Young Turks like Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune promise a lot, but delivering will not be so easy. Likewise, women’s tennis also has rivalries building up but how Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur match Swiatek will be watched eagerly.
The world of golf is churning. If the PGA Tour thinks it is blue riband, the way the breakaway tour – LIV – is also shaping up is potent. Jay Monahan is a key player in this, as the PGA Tour Commissioner, and talks have been on for long. Old-timers will want Tiger Woods to win at least one Major, but he is past his prime. Injuries have ravaged him, so predicting who will grab the headlines in 2024 is tough.
Coming to the high-adrenaline sport of Formula One, and the 2024 calendar is packed. There are 24 races, which makes it a heavy schedule. One man has made the F1 circus almost his own – Max Vertsappen. Here, again, can Lewis Hamilton, past his best, produce the sparks? The car which Verstappen has is max power and max speed, like his name. How teams have done their upgrades and cars have performed in winter testing is not the best indicator, really. For, once the Grand Prix weekend begins, Verstappen will be in high-octane mode!
Does all this not make 2024 mouth-watering as a sporting feast? Oh, yes, the ICC T20 World Cup will also be played, but that deserves a separate piece in itself. Later.
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