From Olympic heartbreak to winning medals: Tyagi's story

AS New Year 2024 dawned, rower Ajay Tyagi was in a happy space and dreaming of qualification for the Paris Olympics.

- FIROZ MIRZA @ Chennai

And why not? He was already in the national camp and the next few months were going to present him ample opportunities to make it to his maiden Games.

Things, however, went downhill from there as he was excluded from the camp and went out of contention to qualify for the marquee event. It was a difficult period for Tyagi, a Havildar in the Indian Army, who even thought of quitting the sport and communicated the same to his coaches. "Had they not convinced me, I would have left the sport last year," 25-year-old Tyagi told this daily following his return from Tasmania, Australia where he won two gold and a silver at the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships.