Paris: India’s remarkable performance at the Paris Olympics, highlighted by Neeraj Chopra’s silver medal in javelin and the hockey team’s bronze-medal win, has sparked an unprecedented surge in global interest, particularly from Indian audiences. According to Christian Klaue, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director, a staggering 273 million users have visited the Olympic website and dedicated app for the Games, with the highest traffic coming from India.
The success of Neeraj Chopra, who secured a silver medal in javelin, and the Indian hockey team’s back-to-back bronze medal wins have captivated the nation’s attention.
Christian Klaue, the IOC’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director, highlighted the impact of India’s achievements on the digital platforms associated with the Olympics. In addition to the website and app, the IOC launched dedicated WhatsApp channels in July, which quickly amassed over five million followers.
Klaue noted that this rapid growth made WhatsApp the fastest-growing channel for the Olympics, surpassing even the popularity of Instagram and TikTok during the same period.
The Olympics also set a new benchmark for augmented reality (AR) technology, with AR lenses on the Olympics and Snapchat apps being used more than half a billion times. This widespread adoption of AR features marks a significant milestone in the history of digital engagement with the Games.
🔹 Olympics Web & App has reached 273 million users for Paris 2024, with the highest number of users from India during these Games yesterday, driven by their 4th and 5th medals from Neeraj Chopra and the Men’s hockey team.
🔹 The Olympics launched two dedicated WhatsApp channels…
— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) August 9, 2024
While Neeraj Chopra, the star of Indian athletics, aimed for his second consecutive Olympic gold, he ultimately settled for a silver medal, finishing behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Despite this, his performance, along with the hockey team’s achievements, has significantly boosted India’s presence on the global Olympic stage and contributed to record-breaking digital engagement for the Games.
