New Delhi, Jan 30: As India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games gains momentum, sports authorities are giving increased attention to disciplines such as aquatics, rowing and cycling — areas where the country has traditionally lagged but which offer a high medal yield in the Olympic programme, sources said.Officials involved in planning the bid — with Ahmedabad emerging as a leading contender city — stressed that while infrastructure appears advanced, India’s medal strategy needs urgent recalibration to boost the nation’s overall performance when hosting the Games.
Targeting High Medal Disciplines
Aquatics (including swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and open water), rowing and cycling together account for well over 100 medals across Summer Games events, yet India has historically seen little success in these sports.
A Sports Ministry source noted that while India traditionally excels in sports like shooting, wrestling and boxing, it must broaden its focus to remain competitive. “Host countries often scale up their Olympic performances to ensure they don’t feel left out at their own party,” the source said, referring to benchmarks from other host nations.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has temporarily paused the host selection process to reassess bidding criteria after member feedback, with plans to restart discussions within six months, according to sources.