Beyond Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem: Exciting IND vs PAK showdowns in the Paris Olympics

The India-Pakistan rivalry is legendary, marked by fierce and emotional encounters across various sports. From Cricket to Hockey, each tournament adds another chapter to their storied history. This rivalry will again be seen at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with athletes from both nations poised to compete across multiple sports and events. InsideSport takes a look at the potential clashes between the arch-rivals.

Shooting at Paris Olympics 2024 

In the shooting, Pakistan will be represented by Gulfam Joseph, Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, and Kishmala Talat. Gulfam will participate in the Men’s 10 m Air Pistol event, while Ghulam Mustafa will compete in the Men’s 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol event. 

Kishmala Talat, an Asian Games bronze medalist, will take part in the Women’s 10 m Air Pistol and Women’s 25 m Pistol events. Additionally, Gulfam and Kishmala will team up for the mixed event of the 10 m Air Rifle.

Gulfam vs Sarabjot and Arjun

Gulfam will face stiff competition from India’s Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Singh Cheema in the men’s 10 m air pistol event. Gulfham has yet to win a medal at any big event like the ISSF World Cup or World Championships. On the other hand, India’s Sarabjot Singh boasts an impressive record with two medals at the Asian Games and two gold medals at the ISSF World Cup, along with three medals at the Asian Shooting Championships.

Arjun Singh Cheema, part of the gold-winning team at the 2022 Asian Games, also has a remarkable track record, including gold medals at the 52nd ISSF World Championship and the ISSF Junior World Cups.

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Ghulam vs Anish and Vijayveer

In the men’s 25-metre m Rapid Fire Pistol event, Pakistan’s Ghulam Mustafa Bashir will compete against India’s Anish Bhanwala and Vijayveer Sidhu. India has a clear edge over Pakistan here as well. Ghulam Mustafa Bashir has only won bronze in the World Championships. 

India’s Anish Bhanwala is a decorated athlete with 11 medals at the ISSF Junior World Cup, five medals at the ISSF World Cup, and gold medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. Vijayveer Sidhu, a bronze medalist at the Asian Games, also poses a significant challenge.

Kishmala Talat vs Rhyth Sangwan and Manu Bhaker

Kishmala Talat, the most experienced shooter in Pakistan’s contingent, will face Rhythm Sangwan and Manu Bhaker from India in the women’s 10 m Air Pistol and women’s 25 m Pistol events. While Talat isn’t the most seasoned competitor, she’s already made a name for herself. Recently, she claimed a bronze medal in the 10-metre air pistol event at the 2022 Asian Games.

However, she may not be able to challenge the Indian shooters. Rhythm Sangwan has won four medals at the World Championships and five medals, including gold, at the ISSF World Cup. Manu Bhaker has two World Championship medals and 11 ISSF World Cup medals, along with a Commonwealth Games gold.

Mixed Event challenge 

In the mixed event of the 10 m Air Rifle, Gulfam and Kishmala will compete against two Indian teams: Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker, and Arjun Singh Cheema and Rhythm Sangwan. Given the strong track record of the Indian shooters, Pakistan will face a formidable challenge. In fact, there’s no match between the Indian and Pakistani shooters.

Swimming at Olympics 2024

Pakistan will send two swimmers to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Muhammad Ahmed Durrani will participate in the Men’s 200 m Freestyle, and Jehanara Nabi will compete in the Women’s 200 m freestyle. 

Jehanara Nabi vs Dhinidhi Desinghu

Although no Indian swimmer is competing in the men’s event, Jehanara Nabi will face India’s 14-year-old sensation, Dhinidhi Desinghu, in the women’s event. Jehanara’s best time in the 200 m event is 2:08.57 seconds, whereas Dhinidhi’s national record stands at 2:04.24 seconds, giving India an edge in this category.

Athletics at Paris Olympics

Pakistan is sending two athletes to compete in athletics at the Paris Olympics 2024. Faiqa Riaz will take part in the Women’s 100 m event, a category for which no Indian athlete has qualified. However, the spotlight will be on the intense rivalry between Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and India’s Neeraj Chopra in the javelin throw.

Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra have faced each other nine times in various competitions, with their most notable encounters being the Tokyo Olympics and the World Championships. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold with an 87.58-metre throw, while Arshad Nadeem finished fifth, trailing by 2.96 metres. 

The gap between them narrowed significantly in 2023 at the World Championships, where Chopra’s gold-medal throw of 88.17 metres was only 0.35 metres ahead of Nadeem’s silver-medal throw of 87.82 metres. This close contest has boosted Arshad’s confidence and signifies the growing threat he poses to Chopra.