The Indian men's and women's chess teams marked their historic gold medal victories at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in a special way, drawing inspiration from an iconic sports celebration. The teams mimicked cricket captain Rohit Sharma’s memorable trophy lift from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, paying homage to his unique style.
Earlier this year, Rohit Sharma had led India to victory against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final held in Barbados. During the post-match celebrations, Rohit emulated Argentine football legend Lionel Messi's famous trophy lift from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where Argentina triumphed over France. Messi had introduced a distinctive and widely admired celebration style after Argentina's win, and Rohit recreated the moment, adding a special touch to India's cricket triumph.
On Sunday, September 22, the Indian chess teams, led by stars like Gukesh D and Tania Sachdev, celebrated their Olympiad success in a similar fashion. As they took to the podium with their respective trophies, they echoed Rohit's celebration, lifting the trophies in the same iconic manner to mark the moment. The chess champions brought their own twist to the victory ceremony, uniting as a team to celebrate India's historic moment on the global chess stage.
This unique gesture not only highlighted the camaraderie within the Indian chess teams but also showcased how athletes across different sports can inspire each other. With this playful yet symbolic act, the Indian chess contingent celebrated their victory with pride, taking inspiration from two of the world’s greatest sports icons—Rohit Sharma and Lionel Messi.
