But here’s the twist: only 122 athletes went this time, vs 210 before. And still, 31% returned with medals; a better conversion rate than 2022. The real story? It’s not about how many medals, but who won them. Young boxers like Jaismine Lamboria and Preeti Pawar swept gold. Para athletes quietly matched India’s entire past para-medal count; in one Games. Neeraj Chopra’s silver? It mattered more for what it inspired; Yash Vir Singh joining him on the podium. The problem? Governance. Weightlifting lost 5 athletes to doping. Judo lost 2. Para swimmers and cyclists showed up unprepared. Ahmedabad 2030 is coming; but medals won’t come just from hosting. They’ll come from fixing the system. Because right now, our athletes are ready. Our admin? Not so much.