A squad full of debutants, free from past baggage will aim to ace the ultimate test of their lives when the shooting competition of the <keyword id="4833237" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="Orion">Paris Olympics</keyword> begins in the sleepy French town of Chateauroux on Friday. <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> has won four Olympic medals in shooting out of its overall tally of 35 but none in the last two editions of the Summer Games, putting the additional pressure of expectations on the record 21-member Indian contingent based in central France. The national shooting federation, National Rifle Association of India (<keyword id="19910689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NRAI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NRAI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NRAI">NRAI</keyword>), chose current form over pedigree to pick the squad for the mega event and it will be hoping they hit the bullseye at the <keyword id="22557904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Shooting-Centre" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="National Shooting Centre" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="National Shooting Centre">National Shooting Centre</keyword> here. Even the quota winners were made to battle out in the trials with the inexperienced Sandeep Singh pipping 2022 world champion Rudranksh Patil, who had secured India's quota in the 10m air rifle. Patil wrote to NRAI proposing his selection in the team despite finishing behind Sandeep in the trials, but the federation stuck to its guns. The athletes have been training away from the hustle and bustle of <keyword id="19916613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris" source="keywords">Paris</keyword> and that could work in their favour come competition day. Barring <keyword id="20241095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manu-bhaker" source="keywords">Manu Bhaker</keyword>, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Anjum Moudgil and Elavenil Valarivan, all will experience the biggest sporting stage for the first time. India will have representation in all 15 shooting events. It is not just peak performance on the day that matters in the Olympics, luck too plays a major part. The 22-year-old Bhaker, who has won a bagful of medals in world events, had a stroke of bad luck at the Tokyo Games where her weapon malfunctioned in 10m <keyword id="20105950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pistol" source="keywords">air pistol</keyword> qualification and she could not recover from that setback. She will be taking part in three disciplines - 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and 10m pistol mixed team. India's main challenge will come from China who are also fielding 21 shooters across disciplines. Another women shooter to watch out for will be Sift Kaur Samra, who won the 50m rifle three positions gold at the Asian Games. Moudgil, one of the seasoned pros in the squad, is making a comeback and will lineup alongside Sift in the women's 50m rifle three positions. Twenty-year-old Rhythm Sangwan will be participating in two events, women's 10m air pistol alongside Bhaker and the 10m air pistol mixed team. "The preparation has been going good. The range is beautiful. I was a little upset staying away from main village in Paris. It is not as I expected but I am here for the competition and win and not pass any comments on the Games Village. Olympics is the biggest stage out here," said Sangwan. Among the male participants, only Tomar has been part of the Olympics before. Tomar, member of the gold winning team at the 2023 World Championships, will be seen in the men's 50m rifle three positions alongside Swapnil Kusale. The male debutants who have a decent international experience include Anish Bhanwala, Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Babuta, Arjun Singh Cheema and Vijayveer Singh. Gagan Narang, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist who is here as India's chef de mission, is backing the shooters to end the <keyword id="22557903" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medal-drought" source="keywords">medal drought</keyword> in this edition. "My first Olympic experience was in 2004 and I remember at that time, we were not as confident as we are today. There is genuine belief that we are at par with the best in the world," said Narang. The biggest test of the shooters' lives awaits. Full squad Rifle: Men's 10m air rifle: Sandeep Singh, Arjun Babuta Women's 10m air rifle: Elavenil Valarivan, Ramita Jindal Women's 50m rifle 3 positions: Sift Kaur Samra, Anjum Moudgil Men's 50m rifle 3 positions: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Swapnil Kusale 10m air rifle mixed team: Sandeep Singh/Elavenil Valarivan, Arjun Babuta/Ramita Jindal Pistol: Men's 10m air pistol: Sarabjot Singh, Arjun Cheema Women's 10m air pistol: Manu Bhaker, Rhythm Sangwan Men's 25m rapid fire pistol: Anish Bhanwala, Vijayveer Sidhu Women's 25m pistol: Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh 10m air pistol mixed team: Sarabjot Singh/Manu Bhaker, Arjun Singh Cheema/Rhythm Sangwan Shotgun: Men's trap: Prithviraj Tondaiman Women's trap: Rajeshwari Kumari, Shreyasi Singh Men's skeet: Anantjeet Singh Naruka Women's skeet: Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon Skeet mixed team: Anantjeet Singh Naruka/Maheshwari Chauhan.

Record shooting contingent out to end India's 12-year medal drought

<keyword id="20241095" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Manu-Bhaker" source="keywords">Manu Bhaker</keyword> is a distinguished Indian sport shooter who recently made history by winning the <keyword id="20257145" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bronze-Medal" source="keywords">bronze medal</keyword> in the Women's <keyword id="22586728" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="10-metre-air-pistol" source="keywords">10-metre air pistol</keyword> event at the 2024 <keyword id="4833237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paris-olympics" source="Orion">Paris Olympics</keyword>. This achievement marks the first time an <keyword id="20129532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-woman" source="keywords">Indian woman</keyword> has won a medal in <keyword id="19909929" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shooting" source="keywords">shooting</keyword> at the <keyword id="19933819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Olympics" source="keywords">Olympics</keyword>, making her a trailblazer in the sport for her country. <h2>Early life and quick rise to prominence</h2>Born on February 18, 2002, in Goria village, Jhajjar district of Haryana, Manu Bhaker displayed an early talent in various sports, including boxing, tennis, and skating, before ultimately committing to shooting. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy, reportedly supported her initial training with a significant financial investment of Rs 1.5 lakhs. Bhaker's career took off at a young age. At just 16, she won a <keyword id="20342188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold-Medal" source="keywords">gold medal</keyword> at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, becoming the youngest Indian to achieve this feat. Her success continued with victories at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup, where she secured multiple gold medals over the years, including in the 10-metre air pistol and mixed team events. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112101410" title="Paris Olympics 2024: After Manu Bhaker’s bronze yesterday, India has the chance to win 5 more medals today" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>At the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico, she clinched the gold in the Women's 10-metre air pistol event, becoming the youngest Indian to win a gold medal in this competition. That same year, she set a new Commonwealth Games record in the women's 10m air pistol event, scoring 240.9 points to secure the gold. Her successes extended beyond individual events to team performances as well. Bhaker, alongside partners, has consistently excelled in mixed team events. For instance, she won multiple gold medals in the 10m air pistol mixed team events with different partners at various ISSF World Cups in 2019. Additionally, Bhaker's contributions were instrumental in winning the team gold for India in the women's 25m pistol team event at the 2022 Asian Games. Despite heading to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as a top medal prospect, Bhaker faced significant challenges, including a malfunction in her pistol, which impacted her performance. This experience, however, did not deter her. Instead, it became a pivotal learning moment that fueled her determination to excel in future competitions. <h2>Triumph in <keyword id="19916613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris" source="keywords">Paris</keyword></h2>At the Paris Olympics 2024, Manu Bhaker secured a historic bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event. This remarkable achievement not only marked India’s first medal at the 2024 Games but also made Bhaker the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting. She scored a total of 221.7 points, finishing behind South Korea's Oh Ye Jin, who set an Olympic record, and Kim Yeji, who claimed silver. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112097005" title="Bite-sized tradition: Why do Olympic winners bite their medals?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Bhaker's performance in Paris was a testament to her resilience and determination. Despite a challenging start, she maintained her composure and shot consistently high scores. Her journey to the bronze medal involved intense competition, particularly in the final rounds where she narrowly missed out on the silver but still secured her place on the podium, ending India’s 12-year drought in Olympic shooting medals. Manu Bhaker's journey is a remarkable example of overcoming adversity and striving for excellence. With her historic Olympic medal, she has set a new benchmark for future generations of Indian shooters. Her story will undoubtedly inspire many young athletes to follow in her footsteps.

Who is Manu Bhaker, the first Indian woman to win a Bronze Medal in Shooting at the Olympics?

<keyword id="20292631" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-mens-hockey-team" source="keywords">Indian men's hockey team</keyword> secured yet another medal, this time a bronze, for <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> at the ongoing <keyword id="20006192" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris Olympics</keyword>, thrashing Spain by 2-1, and finishing at the podium for the second consecutive time since the <keyword id="20262833" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tokyo-Olympics" source="keywords">Tokyo Olympics</keyword>, where they had previously secured a bronze. For India, both goals in this match were scored by skipper Harmanpreet Singh, also popularly known as Sarpanch Sahab. For the first time in 50 years, India has won bronze medals in Olympics, back to back. India holds the distinction of being the country that holds the most number of Olympic medals in field hockey. With this, India takes its medal tally to four in this Olympics. All of them are bronze medals, won by Manu Bhaker (2), Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale in shooting. India came very close to winning medals in Paris 2024 Olympics, securing six 4th place finishes. These athletes include Arjun Babuta (shooting), Dhiraj Bommadevara/Ankita Bhakat (archery), Manu Bhaker (shooting), Anantjeet Singh Naruka/Maheshwari Chauhan (mixed team skeet shooting), Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting) and Lakshya Sen (badminton). The medal comes as a soothing salve, as India nurses a series of brunts, following Vinesh Phogat's unfortunate disqualification from wrestling finals, and Antim Panghal's three-year ban imposed by the International Olympics Association (IOA), after she was found in breach of discipline. Her sister was arrested on charges of impersonation and entering the international athlete's village on Panghal's accredition card, following which the wrestler was sent back to India. After their gold medal triumph in 1980, the <keyword id="20415656" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-hockey-team" source="keywords">Indian hockey team</keyword> had to go through a long, 41-year drought, where the team won no medals, till Tokyo Olympics 2020, where we secured a bronze. To date, India has won 8 gold medals in hockey in Olympics, with the country's last gold medal in this sport coming in 1980. India did qualify for semi-finals in this Olympics and also came a step closer to winning silver or gold medal, but were defeated by Germany 3-2. Previously, India has also won a silver medal in 1960, alongside 3 bronze medals in 1968, 1972 and 2020. This is the last Olympic outing for star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who managed to save many a crucial hits from the opposition. The team dedicated the medal to him, squaring off his fantastic career, which began in 2006. He holds 2 Asian games gold medals, 4 Olympic hats, and over 300 games to his credit.

Paris Olympics: Indian men's hockey team wins bronze medal, repeat their feat from Tokyo Olympics

The history-making Indian women's hockey team's dream of securing its maiden Olympic medal remained unfulfilled as it lost 3-4 to Great Britain in a hard-fought bronze play-off match at the ongoing Games here on Friday. The Indian women had already created history and surpassed all expectations by entering the semifinals of the Games for the first time. But the maiden Olympic medal remained out of bounds as world no.4 Great Britain, who were gold-winners in the 2016 Rio Games, came out on top in the pulsating encounter. The heartbreak came a day after the Indian men's team ended a 41-year-old medal drought by clinching bronze with a 5-4 win over Germany. The Indians played their hearts out and overcame a two-goal deficit to lead 3-2 at half time. But a desperate Great Britain gave their everything in the second half and scored two goals to snatch the match from India's hands. India scored three goals in a span of five minutes through Gurjit Kaur (25th, 26th minutes) and <keyword id="809404" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vandana-Katariya">Vandana Katariya</keyword> (29th) to stun Great Britain. But the Britishers found the net four times through Elena Rayer (16th), Sarah Robertson (24th), skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb (35th) and Grace Baldson (48th) to emerge winners. India's best performance in the Olympics was a fourth place finish in the 1980 Moscow Games. In that edition, there were no semifinals as only six teams competed in a round-robin format with the top two featuring in the final. As expected, Great Britain started strongly and had the lion's share of ball possession and chances in the first quarter. The Indians made some circle penetrations but failed to create any clear cut chances and were also guilty of losing possession at the midfield. India goalkeeper Savita Punia stood out in the first quarter, denying Great Britain on at least three occasions. She first made a fine save from Great Britain's first penalty corner in the second minute and then pulled off a double save in the 12th minute to keep India in the hunt. In between Great Britain also wasted another penalty corner. Britain began the second quarter on the same pace and took the lead when Elena Rayer's push went into the net after getting a deflection of <keyword id="2183249" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deep-Grace-Ekka">Deep Grace Ekka</keyword>'s stick. Minutes later, the former gold-medallists secured their third penalty corner which yielded no result. Lalremsiami came close to equalising for India only to be denied by the experienced Maddie Hinch, who brilliantly kept away the Indian striker's reverse hit. India got their first penalty corner soon but wasted it. Great Britain doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Robertson scored with a powerful reverse hit from top of the circle. A minute later, India got two back-to-back penalty corners and Gurjit converted the second chance to reduce the margin. Two minutes later, Salima Tete's brilliant run from the left flank earned India another penalty corner and Gurjit was once bang on target to draw parity. The momentum shifted completely in India's favour as they started to attack with numbers and threatened the Great Britain goal frequently thereafter in the second quarter. After <keyword id="704258" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sharmila-Devi">Sharmila Devi</keyword> hit wide from a one-on-one situation, the Indians stunned Great Britain when <keyword id="3439" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vandana">Vandana</keyword> tapped in an open ball inside the circle to go into half time with a 3-2 lead. Down by a goal, Great Britain were expected to come out hard after resumption and they did exactly that forcing the pace of the game, securing a penalty corner two minutes into the third quarter but India defended well. But a minute later, Great Britain drew level through skipper Hollie Pearne-Webb. The Indians then secured two more penalty corners but couldn't utilise them. Savita stood like a wall in front of the Indian goal and pulled off some brilliant saves to deny Great Britain. A second from the end of third quarter, India secured the seventh penalty corner but to no effect. The fourth quarter completely belonged to Great Britain as they pressed hard on the Indian defence in search of goals. The ploy worked as the Indian backline wilted under pressure and conceded four quick penalty corners, three of them in succession and Baldson scored from the last one with a flick that went through Savita's legs. India had one more chance in the form of a penalty corner in the last eight minutes but Great Britain defended stoutly to deny Gurjit a hat-trick. Thereafter, Great Britain did just enough to keep India at bay and to ensure a finish on the podium. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/krsnaa-diagnostics-ipo-open-today-check-out-how-to-apply/articleshow/85017014.cms">Krsnaa Diagnostics IPO opens—here is all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/these-are-some-of-the-highest-paid-founders-of-indian-startups-tapping-capital-markets-this-year/slidelist/85005261.cms">These are some of the highest paid founders of Indian startups tapping capital markets this year</a>

Tokyo Olympics: Indian women's hockey team's dream run ends as they lose to Great Britain in bronze medal match

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11905554" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="italy" source="Orion">Italy</keyword> shocked <keyword id="12102399" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wales" source="Orion">Wales</keyword> in Six Nations <keyword id="12047302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rugby" source="Orion">rugby</keyword>, ending a 36-match winless drought.</li><li>Josh Adams of Wales gave his Player of the Match medal to Italy's Ange Capuozzo and the pair hugged.</li></ul>Italy shocked Wales in the Six Nations Championship, but the best moment of the match came as the Italians were celebrating.Edoardo Padovani scored a try in the final two minutes to complete the comeback and give the Italians their first Six Nations win since 2015. The upset ended a 36-match losing streak.Josh Adams of Wales was named Player of the Match despite the loss. Voting for the award was conducted before the end of the match and before Italy had finished its comeback.In an incredible display of <keyword id="12730600" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sportsmanship" source="Orion">sportsmanship</keyword>, Adams approached Italy's Ange Capuozzo after the match and handed him the medal. Capuozzo had set up the winning score for Italy.Capuozzo looked shocked at first, but after taking the medal, the pair embraced in a hug. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1505222034124525574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

After shocking loss, a Welsh rugby player gave his Player of the Match medal to Italian foe in moving show of sportsmanship

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hidilyn Diaz won the women's 55kg to take home the first Olympic gold medal in <keyword id="3750" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Philippines">Philippines</keyword>' history.</li><li>Afterward, Diaz said she planned to "eat a lot" after years of training.</li><li>Diaz has been training in Malaysia and hasn't seen her family in 2 years because of COVID.</li></ul>A big celebration was in order at <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/tokyo-2020">Tokyo 2020</a> for Hidilyn Diaz after winning the first Olympic gold medal in the Philippines' history.Diaz won the women's <keyword id="59644" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Weightlifting">weightlifting</keyword> 55 kg at the Tokyo Olympics, setting an Olympic record with a clean and jerk of 124 kg and then lifting 127 kg.Upon dropping the weight, Diaz immediately broke down into tears as she won gold.<div type="image" title="Hidilyn Diaz cries after winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics." height="1176" width="1568" msid="84769692" hostid="261"></div>Diaz told reporters that she planned to "eat a lot" and enjoy the company of her team."Yes, I will eat a lot tonight," Diaz said, <a href="https://sg.news.yahoo.com/sacrifice-exile-filipina-hidilyn-diaz-153152182.html">according to Yahoo's Daniel Hicks</a>."I mean, I've been sacrificing my food, and this is the time to celebrate together with the people who are behind me. So I'm really thankful I can eat now, yes."She reportedly planned to have cheesecake and bubble tea.<a href="https://www.insider.com/photos-olympics-skateboarding-best-photos-good-vibes-tokyo-2020-2021-7">CHECK OUT THE BEST PHOTOS SO FAR AT THE TOKYO OLYMPICS</a>Diaz won silver at the Rio Olympics, ending a 20-year medal drought for the Philippines for any medal. She then set her sights on gold with ambitious training, according to Hicks.After hiring new coaches, Diaz moved to Malaysia to train. Shortly after moving, however, COVID-19 lockdowns went into effect, and she has not seen her family since 2019.According to Hicks, without access to gyms and some equipment, "Team HD," as Diaz calls it, was stuck in an apartment in Malaysia, lifting weights with extra caution to avoid cracking the tile floors with the apartment.In her spare time, she raised money online to distribute food packages to struggling families in the Philippines during the lockdowns.On Monday, Diaz once again grew emotional as the Philippines national anthem was played for the first time.<div type="image" title="Hidilyn Diaz celebrates during the Tokyo Olympics." height="1333" width="1778" msid="84769693" hostid="261"></div>Diaz was also in the Philippines Air Force. She saluted during the medal ceremony.<div type="image" title="Hidilyn Diaz salutes during the Tokyo Olympics medal ceremony." height="1333" width="1778" msid="84769697" hostid="261"></div>"I'm really thankful I can go home now and celebrate with my family and the people who support me," Diaz told reporters.

Filipino weightlifter broke down and said she planned to 'eat a lot' after winning her country's first Olympic gold medal ever

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a890374d03072a1168b45c8-1024/gettyimages-919265586.jpg" alt="Winter Olympics" data-mce-source="Jamie Squire/Getty Images">Jamie Squire/Getty Images</img></div></div></div><ul><li>American John-Henry Kreuger pulled a big upset, winning silver, just behind Canadian Samuel Girard in the 1,000-meter event in speed skating.</li><li>Kreuger was in a good position, but got some help when a crash took out the favorites with just one lap to go.</li><li>Krueger seemed as shocked as anybody when he realized the silver medal was his.</li></ul><hr> In speed skating, sometimes it pays off to just be one of the last skaters standing ... literally.American John-Henry Kreuger surprised a lot of people - himself included - when he won silver in speed skating after three of the other four finalists crashed with just one lap to go during the 1,000-meter event.Kreuger was actually in a good position with two laps to go, sitting just behind the leader, Canadian Samuel Girard. But when Liu Shaolin Sandor of Hungary tried to move up on the penultimate lap, he took out himself and both of the Korean skaters, the favorites heading into the final.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a890262d0307222008b474d-1920/snapshot20180217223408.jpg" alt="Snapshot_20180217_223408" data-mce-source="NBC sports">NBC sports</img></div></div></div>That left just Krueger and Girard as the only skaters upright with one lap to go.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a88fd56d03072b90c8b4605-1545/snapshot20180217220926.jpg" alt="Snapshot_20180217_220926" data-mce-source="NBC Sports">NBC Sports</img></div></div></div>During the first turn on the final lap, Krueger looked back and could see that the three skaters behind him had all been taken out.At this point, Krueger appeared to take his foot of the gas pedal a touch. He might not have caught Girard anyway, but it appeared as if Krueger was just content with not messing up the final half-lap and the guaranteed silver medal.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a88ff63d030721a008b45bf-1435/snapshot20180217221909.jpg" alt="Snapshot_20180217_221909" data-mce-source="NBC Sports">NBC Sports</img></div></div></div>As Krueger crossed the finish line, he looked over at the official results and held up his hands, seemingly in disbelief.He joined Apolo Ohno as the only the second American man to ever medal in the 1000m.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a8900add0307231008b45d4-1024/gettyimages-919260484.jpg" alt="Winter Olympics" data-mce-source="Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images">Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images</img></div></div></div>He then leaped the wall and into his coach's arms.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a890311d0307242008b4878-1920/snapshot20180217223719.jpg" alt="Snapshot_20180217_223719" data-mce-source="NBC Sports">NBC Sports</img></div></div></div>Here is video of the final laps.&#xa0;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">Yinz better believe it! Pittsburgh's own <a href="https://twitter.com/Real_JohnHenry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@real_johnhenry</a> breaks America's individual speed skating medal drought with silver in the 1000m. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinterOlympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/qGQPMUwUzz">https://t.co/qGQPMUwUzz</a> <a href="https://t.co/GoJJoOq0B1">pic.twitter.com/GoJJoOq0B1</a>- NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/965073494340927488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/p34fCU9Q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div></hr>

American wins shocking silver medal in speed skating when a crash left just 2 skaters standing on the final lap

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Nancy Pelosi rose through the ranks of Congress to eventually become the first female House speaker.</li><li>It was a monumental achievement for the California lawmaker and native daughter of Baltimore.</li></ul>In many ways, Nancy Pelosi's political ascent was no surprise.Decades before Pelosi become the first female House speaker in US history, she was Nancy D'Alesandro, the daughter of the highly influential Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., who served as a Maryland congressman and then as mayor of Baltimore from 1947 to 1959.Nancy D'Alesandro was born in Baltimore on March 26, 1940, the youngest of seven children (and the only girl) in an Italian-American family that in the city was synonymous with public service.She graduated from the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore in 1958 before attending Trinity College in Washington, DC, where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science. While in college, she attended President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural address and even interned on Capitol Hill alongside now-Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, who rose from the state legislature to become the US House majority leader and one of the chamber's most respected legislators.In September 1963, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-husband-paul-pelosi-relationship-timeline-2022-10#1962-nancy-dalesandro-met-paul-pelosi-while-taking-a-summer-class-at-georgetown-university-1">Nancy D'Alesandro married Paul Pelosi</a>, whom she met in college. They then had five children: Alexandra, Jacqueline, Nancy Corinne, Christine, and Paul Jr. Along with her husband, Pelosi has an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wealthiest-members-congress-house-senate-finances-2021-12#14-rep-nancy-pelosi-a-democrat-from-california-46123051-12">estimated net worth of $46 million</a>.In 1969, the Pelosi family would eventually move to San Francisco, where the future speaker reveled in being a full-time mother, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/04/how-nancy-pelosis-family-life-prepared-her-to-make-political-history">a role that she said prepared her for her rise</a> in California politics and on the national stage."That's one of the hardest things," Pelosi said of parenting in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/makes-going-to-work-look-easy-how-being-a-full-time-mom-prepared-nancy-pelosi-for-this-moment/2019/02/12/416cd85e-28bc-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html">a 2019 interview with The Washington Post</a>. "Makes going to work look easy, doesn't it?"<div type="image" title="Nancy and Paul Pelosi in 1987" height="627" width="1024" msid="110034005" hostid="261" sizebytes="50566"></div><h2 id="fbc7489a-d395-4238-a68e-877b77a0ae10">Welcome to San Francisco</h2>San Francisco, which has traditionally been the center of political gravity in California politics, was a magnet for the counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/11/travel/haight-ashbury-san-francisco.html">The Summer of Love</a>. The Black Panthers and Black activism in the Bay area. The escalation of protests against the Vietnam War. The rise of the gay rights movement.These movements had a major influence on the liberalism that would come to define the region.During this era and in later years, Pelosi cut her teeth in the city's Democratic politics. In 1976, she became a Democratic National Convention committee member. From 1981 to 1983, she chaired the powerful California Democratic Party. And in June 1987, she was first elected to the House in a special election to succeed the late Rep. Sala Burton.To this day, Pelosi still holds the San Francisco-anchored House seat.<div type="image" title="Pelosi" height="683" width="1024" msid="110034008" hostid="261" sizebytes="28998"></div><h2 id="85157f9d-993f-47a7-9099-7441068c6df9">Rise to the Top</h2>In 2003, Pelosi became the first woman to lead a political party in Congress, serving as House Minority Leader.Over the next three years, she worked fervently to regain a majority in the House of Representatives, recruiting Democratic candidates from across the ideological spectrum and raising millions of dollars.In 2006, Democrats won control of the House after a 12-year drought, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-2013-3#pelosi-met-her-husband-paul-at-georgetown-university-she-was-a-mother-of-five-by-1969-when-the-family-moved-to-san-francisco-paul-worked-as-a-banker-while-nancy-raised-their-children-and-started-a-democratic-party-club-at-her-home-3">making Pelosi the first female speaker ever</a>. She would assume the speaker's gavel in January 2007.When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, Pelosi was instrumental in shepherding his legislative agenda through Congress, which notably included the Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.After Democrats lost the House majority in November 2010, she stayed on as minority leader until the party once again regained control of the lower chamber in 2018.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-is-making-trump-squirm-impeachment-2019-12">Pelosi served as a foil to President Donald Trump's conservative agenda</a> during his final two years in office, even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-tears-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech-meme-2020-2">ripping up his February 2020 State of the Union speech</a> after he appeared to snub her handshake prior to the televised address.Once Joe Biden assumed the presidency in 2021, Pelosi once again used her political acumen to not only move the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan through the House, but also the bipartisan infrastructure legislation and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. All were signed into law by Biden.<div type="image" title="Nancy Pelosi" height="683" width="1024" msid="110034011" hostid="261" sizebytes="41860"></div><h2 id="695799d6-6750-496d-be44-3f7c2866a1bf">The Future</h2>After the GOP narrowly flipped the House in 2022, Pelosi <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/politicians-react-to-pelosi-not-seeking-reelection-for-house-speaker-2022-11">stepped down from leadership</a>, which meant that for the first time in 20 years, she was no longer leading the party's caucus in the lower chamber.She was succeeded as House Democratic leader by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-hakeem-jeffries-nancy-pelosi-house-democratic-leader-2022-11">Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York</a>.But Pelosi has remained active as a lawmaker and as a surrogate for Democrats as they aim to regain control of the House in November 2024.The congresswoman, now 84 years old and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/03/presidential-medal-freedom-recipients-biden/">a recent recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>, is running for reelection in the fall, adding another chapter to a career that has endured in Washington for nearly four decades.

How Nancy Pelosi became one of America's richest and most powerful politicians       

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Italy's Leonardo Bonucci taunted England fans by mocking the team's famous chant after winning <keyword id="963902" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Euro-2020">Euro 2020</keyword>.</li><li>After Italy's penalty shootout win, the defender screamed into a camera: "It's coming to Rome!"</li><li>Bonucci was trolling the popular refrain of "It's coming home," a chant sung by England fans at every tournament.</li></ul>Italy's Leonardo Bonucci trolled the whole of England on Sunday, screaming "It's coming to Rome" into the camera after his side won Euro 2020.Following a 1-1 draw in normal time, <a href="https://www.insider.com/italy-wins-euro-2020-beating-england-football-doesnt-come-home-2021-7">Italy triumphed over England via a penalty shootout</a>, giving the Italians a second European Championship trophy and condemning England to more spot kick heartbreak.Bonucci netted Italy's equalizer after Luke Shaw had put England ahead and the Juventus defender went on to score his effort in the shootout.After Gianluigi Donnarumma saved Bukayo Sako's penalty to win the tournament for Italy, Bonucci celebrated by repeatedly screaming "It's coming to Rome!" into a nearby camera.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-B24 (@B24PT) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1414351942206345221">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote>The 34-year-old defender was mocking the famous England chant "It's coming home," which originates from the song "Three Lions" by English comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and the rock band Lightning Seeds.The song <a href="https://twitter.com/B24PT/status/1414351942206345221">has been synonymous with England in major tournaments since its release in 1996.</a>Throughout Euro 2020, England fans and media have recited the lyric and during every England game it has been sung from the stands. However it has clearly irked opposition players, many of whom see the presumptive statement as arrogant.Before the semi-final, Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel was asked about it in a press conference to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMAviEf2WPA">which he sarcastically replied "has it ever come home?"</a> and now some of the victorious Italian squad took a swipe.As Italy celebrated with their fans, Bonucci grabbed the nearest camera and screamed "It's coming to Rome! It's coming to Rome!"Later on, Bonucci and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho posted a video of themselves, arm-in-arm, singing the altered line with their medals around their necks.<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRODIMggy__" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by SPORTbible (@sportbible)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote><h2>'It's coming home' - arrogant or cautiously optimistic?</h2>Opinion of the famous chant is mixed, and seems to vary from country to country. In England, it is seen as an optimistic, but cautious hope that the national team might finally come good in a tournament.Prior to the Euro 2020 final, it had been 55 years since England last contested a major final. The country has not tasted international success since the 1966 World Cup win, also played at Wembley.The line "It's coming home" worked on two fronts as Euro 96, the tournament the song was recorded for, was held in England and the country is also widely known as the birthplace of the sport.The song starts with recordings of commentary of England exiting various tournaments, usually in embarrassment, and the verse talks of everyone knowing "England's gonna throw it away" but ends hoping that England might actually win and "bring football home."However, outside of England, some opposition fans see the lyrics as arrogant, especially considering the 55-year drought England has endured without silverware.

A talismanic Italian defender trolled 56 million people with 4 simple words after beating England on penalties in the Euro 2020 final

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57ab8806db5ce92a088b5f34-1717/rtx13j7g.jpg" alt="fisj" data-mce-source="Hugh Gentry/Reuters" data-mce-caption="A dead fish washed ashore is seen in Keehi Lagoon after a massive molasses spill from a Matson cargo ship in Honolulu, Hawaii, September 12 ,2013. Health officials warned swimmers, surfers and snorkelers in Hawaii to stay out of the waters near Honolulu after the leak of 1,400 tons of molasses killed hundreds of fish, potentially attracting sharks." />Hugh Gentry/ReutersA dead fish.</div></div></div>Stocks wobbled a bit on Wednesday.Major indices slipped into the red in the morning, before staging a small comeback late in the afternoon.However, all three ultimately finished in the red.This was the 20th day in a row that the S&amp;P 500 moved less than 1% in either direction.Let's head to the scoreboard:<ul><li>Dow: 18,471 (-61.63, -0.33%)</li><li>S&amp;P 500: 2,172.54 (-9.18, -0.42%)</li><li>Nasdaq: 5,198.21 (-27.33, -0.52%)</li><li>WTI Crude oil: $41.54 (-1.23, -2.88%)</li><li>10-year Treasury yield: 1.507 (-0.038, -2.43%)</li><li>Olympic Medal Count: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/summer-olympics-2016-medal-count-2016-8">Stay up to date with every country's medal count here</a>.</li></ul>1. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/job-openings-and-labor-turnover-survey-june-2015-2016-8">Job openings rose less than expected in June</a>. The number of jobs open in the US in July hit 5.624 million, less than expected, but up from May's reading of 5.5 million, according to the latest JOLTS report. Moreover, the quits rate held steady at 2% in June.2. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/fx-markets-august-10-2016-8">The dollar fell</a>. The US dollar index was down by 0.6% at around 95.66 in the afternoon, following the JOLTS data.3. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-foreclosures-hit-all-time-low-2016-8">The number of foreclosures in America is at an all-time low</a>. "Mortgage originations grew, to $427 billion. About 83,000 individuals had a new foreclosure notation added to their credit reports between April 1 and June 30, a new low in the 18-year history of the data," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.4. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/student-debt-decrease-2016-8">There's finally a tiny bit of good news for the 40 million Americans with student debt</a>. The total student debt load in America decreased between the first and second quarters of 2016, to $1.259 trillion from $1.261 trillion, according to the New York Federal Reserve's Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit.5. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bridgewater-tarui-withdraws-sexual-harassment-claim-2016-8">The Bridgewater employee who filed a sexual-harassment claim has withdrawn it and left for KKR</a>. Chris Tarui filed a complaint earlier this year with a Connecticut agency, alleging the harassment and describing Bridgewater as a "cauldron of fear and intimidation" that kept him silent.6. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/deltas-computer-nightmare-reveals-corporate-americas-biggest-problem-2016-8">Delta's computer nightmare reveals the biggest problem in corporate America</a>. A computer outage at the company's Atlanta headquarters on Monday led to 1,800 canceled flights over two days. Business Insider's Myles Udland argues that this reflects an issue much bigger than the airline industry: Capital investment is a problem for all of corporate America.7. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wendys-ceo-people-dont-want-to-buy-our-food-because-of-the-election-2016-8">Wendy's CEO says people don't want cheeseburgers because of the election</a>. In a quarterly earnings call on Wednesday, CEO Todd Penegor said that the presidential election is weighing on consumer sentiment and, in turn, people are spending less at restaurants like Wendy's.ADDITIONALLY:<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zimbabwe-could-trigger-inflation-by-moving-away-from-dollar-2016-8">Zimbabwe's next move could trigger the return of "rapid inflation."</a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-and-inflation-expectations-decoupling-2016-8">Here's the most important chart in the world that no one is talking about</a>.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/vietnams-drought-has-affected-agriculture-but-still-hope-for-economy-2016-8">The worst drought in decades is crushing Vietnam, but there's still hope things will improve</a>.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-president-turns-to-marxist-economist-alfredo-serrano-2016-8">Venezuela's president hopes the "Jesus Christ of economics" can fix the country's economic disaster</a>.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/7-stocks-in-danger-of-being-disrupted-2016-8">7 companies that are in serious danger of being upended by the competition</a>.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bad-news-for-millions-of-american-borrowers-2016-8">"Bad news" for millions of American borrowers</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-unshrink-clothes-shirt-pants-2016-7">Here's an easy way to unshrink your clothes </a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Yyc2J2NDE6OPiZ70Vq-l6vyDy4mQ1ZKe" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'Yyc2J2NDE6OPiZ70Vq-l6vyDy4mQ1ZKe',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

STOCKS FALL: Here's what you need to know

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/52634623.cms" />For Dattu Baban Bhokanal, the lone Indian rower to qualify for 2016 <keyword id="1151997" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rio-Olympics">Rio Olympics</keyword>, overcoming his fear of water emerged as the best thing ever for him. 
 
The 24-year-old’s story is nothing less than inspiring and exudes the best example of grit and determination. 
 
Indian rower Bhokanal qualified for Rio Olympics in the men’s singles sculls category as he finished second in the Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in South Korea. 
 
Bhokanal, who comes from a tiny village in Maharashtra Talegaon where water is considered equivalent to gold, never thought he would end up rowing as he was scared of water. 
 
“I never thought water could be used for sports as well. In our village, water is very scarce. I used to think if I jump into the water, I will drown. There was a huge phobia regarding water,” said Bhokanal. 
 
Early life 
 
Coming from a drought-hit village and achieving such heights, Bhokanal’s story is inspiring. 
 
He is the eldest to his two brothers and usually used to spend his early days in agricultural field with his father. 
 
“I used to go to school and then mostly spend my days in the fields, do farming with my father, ride tractor, bike. I was never interested in studies and always wanted to do business,” said Bhokanal. 
 
But his destiny took a sharp turn when his father died. He had to look after his family and it is then he decided to join the army. 
 
“I moved to Pune to join the army and earn for my family. Here I was introduced to rowing,” said Bhokanal. 
 
Army life 
 
“I had never seen so much water in my life. My coach at the army was adamant that I take up rowing. I had water phobia but I had to do it. So, I just hit the boat. It did topple a number of times but my fear of drowning went away,” said 6 feet 4 inch tall Bhokanal. 
 
Bhokanal’s coach Ismail Baig, Dronacharya and chief national rowing coach, worked on him and the results are evident. 
 
 Qualifying for Olympics 
 
Bhokanal clocked 7 minutes 07.49 second in the two kilometre course. However, he could not celebrate his sweet success with his mother, who was then in coma. 
 
“When I qualified for Olympics, my mother was in hospital and could not recognise any one. But now she’s fine and doing better,” said Bhokanal. 
 
The Indian rower will be soon going to the US for his training and will be coached by Paul Mokha. 
 
 “To get a medal in Olympics, I have to clock around 6 minutes 36 seconds and I am working hard towards it,” said Bhokanal. 
 
 Speaking about pressure, Bhokanal said he is just focussing on his timing and practice sessions. 
 
 “There is little bit of pressure but I am just focussed on rowing only. I know there are lot of expectations from me as I am representing India but my mind is free and I just have to perform well,” said Bhokanal, whose never give up attitude has brought him to this level. 
 
(Image: Twitter)

Meet Dattu Bhokanal, the lone Indian rower to qualify for Rio Olympics, who was once scared of water

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Queen Elizabeth II never acknowledged the <a href="https://www.npg.org.uk/learning/digital/history/abolition-of-slavery/the-slave-trade">monarchy's historical role in supporting the Black slave trade</a>.</li><li>Human rights activist Peter Tatchell said the system of an inherited head of state is "racist by default."</li></ul>In 2020, the royal family's silence over the Black Lives Matter movement did not go unnoticed, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/harry-and-meghan-oprah-interview">Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey</a> in March of 2021, brought to the fore the topic of racism in the monarchy.Harry said <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-and-meghan-oprah-interview-racism-large-part-leaving-uk-2021-3">racism was "a large part" of why the couple left the UK</a>, they claim a <a href="https://www.insider.com/royals-concerns-over-archie-skin-tone-meghan-harry-oprah-interview-2021-3">member of the royal family raised "concerns" over how dark Archie's skin would be</a> before he was born, and Markle said <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-discussed-medias-treatment-of-her-and-kate-middleton-2021-3">her treatment in the tabloids compared to that of Kate Middleton</a> was racist. A statement released by <a href="https://www.insider.com/buckingham-palace-responds-to-meghan-markle-and-prince-harry-interview-2021-3">Buckingham Palace</a> on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, at the time, said the whole family was "saddened to learn" how challenging things had been, adding: "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."And a couple of days later, Prince William said: "We're very much <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/harry-meghan-interview-prince-william-denies-royal-family-are-racist-n1260627">not a racist family</a>."While <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-prince-harry-black-lives-matter-royal-family-2020-7">the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have engaged with numerous anti-racism organizations</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-meghan-markle-addresed-george-floyd-death-black-lives-matter-2020-6">spoke openly</a> about the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, other members who represent the monarchy never spoke up.This is not entirely surprising, though. The royals have been accused of turning a blind eye — and in some instances, even enabling — racism since the early years of the monarchy.For starters, Queen Elizabeth I was connected to Britain's slave trade in the 1500s — <a href="https://www.npg.org.uk/learning/digital/history/abolition-of-slavery/the-slave-trade">the monarch publicly supported Captain John Hawkins</a>, who captured 300 Africans and exchanged them for hides, ginger, and sugar in 1562.<a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-ii-death-obituary-2022-9">The now-late Queen Elizabeth II</a> never publicly acknowledged her ancestor's actions before her death Thursday, September 8, 2022. Then there was Abdul Karim, the Indian attendant of Queen Victoria. According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/09/queen-victoria-abdul-karim-royal-family-racism">The Guardian</a>, the royal household "tried everything to displace him" because of the color of his skin. They eventually succeeded, sending him abruptly back to India after the Queen's death.But these incidents aren't just historical — royal family members have been ignoring accusations of racism since as recently as June 2020, when the Queen failed to respond to accusations that the <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-elizabeth-badge-resembles-george-floyd-death-2020-6">royal honors medal is "highly offensive" and resembles the killing of Floyd.</a>But, Kenneth Olisa, the first Black lord-lieutenant of London, said in an interview that the topic of race became more present among the family after George Floyd's death, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-supports-black-lives-matter-movement-says-senior-n1278894">NBC News</a> reported in September 2021. <h2>Queen Elizabeth II never apologized for the monarchy's racist past</h2>Some members of the royal family have taken accountability for their own racist behavior in more recent years. In 2005, a then 20-year-old Prince Harry angered the public and politicians after wearing a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party."It was a poor choice of costume and I apologize," Harry said at the time, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/13/world/europe/prince-harry-apologizes-for-nazi-costume.html">The New York Times.</a>The prince issued another apology four years later, saying he was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/jan/12/prince-harry-video-pakistani">"extremely sorry" for using a racial slur</a> to address his friend in a military training video.<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42462724">In 2017, Princess Michael of Kent made a public apology</a> after she was accused of wearing a racist brooch to lunch with Meghan Markle.Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II's late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was known for his <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-philips-gaffes-96-dukes-6079006">controversial sense of </a>humor and often made remarks during royal engagements that landed him in hot water.These have included telling the President of Nigeria that he <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-philips-gaffes-96-dukes-6079006">looked like he was "ready for bed"</a> when he wore national dress to meet Prince Phillip in 2003, and <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-philips-gaffes-96-dukes-6079006">comparing Ethiopian art</a> to "the kind of thing my daughter would bring back from school art lessons" back in 1965.During a visit to China in 1986, he also told a British student that if he stayed much longer, "you'll go home with slitty eyes."Most of these comments have come and gone without acknowledgment from the palace. However, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/duke-of-edinburgh-forced-to-apologise-for-racist-remark-1111947.html">The Independent reports</a> that the duke issued a public apology after a visit to an electronics factory in Scotland in 1999, where he said a messy fuse box looked "as though it was put in by an Indian."<div type="image" title="prince philip 2" height="1452" width="1200" msid="77417033" hostid="261"></div>Meanwhile, the British monarchy's most well-known tie to racism — the slave trade — is something Queen Elizabeth never acknowledged.In 1564 <a href="https://www.npg.org.uk/learning/digital/history/abolition-of-slavery/the-slave-trade">Queen Elizabeth I even contributed a vessel</a> to Hawkins, the first known Englishman to include enslaved Africans as cargo.While <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/05/prince-charles-says-britains-part-in-transatlantic-slave-trade-was-atrocity">Prince Charles, now King Charles III, previously acknowledged</a> "the appalling atrocity of the slave trade, and the unimaginable suffering it caused," this is something his mother did not publicly comment on.But as royal commentator Kristen Meinzer told Insider, the monarchy "was instrumental in supporting the slave trade," so Charles' apology doesn't even come close to making amends for the past."The Church of England, which the Queen is the head of, actively perpetrated slavery and profited from it," Meinzer told Insider. "It's not enough for the son of the monarch to apologize. The monarch should."Human rights activist and journalist Peter Tatchell said that Her Majesty showed "an unwillingness to face up to past injustices" by staying silent. "It is long overdue that the Queen should apologize for the monarchy's role in the slave trade," Tatchell told Insider."The fact that she has not done so shows a lack of remorse, an unwillingness to face up to past injustices, and a lack of commitment to a multiracial Britain," Tatchell added.Buckingham Palace did not respond to Insider's requests for comment for this piece.<h2>The monarchy could be considered a symbol of institutional racism</h2>Tatchell says that the monarchy is an example of institutional racism because there has never been a non-white head of state."The UK's system of an inherited head of state is racist by default," Tatchell told Insider."The title of head of state is bestowed on the first-born descendants in each successive generation of the all-white royal family. A non-white person is therefore excluded from holding the title of head of state, at least for the foreseeable future. This is institutional racism."Of course, this could change with the future generations — if Prince George was to marry a non-white person and they had children, for example, the next heir to the throne would be mixed race.Meghan Markle is the first member of the royal family known to be mixed race. However, some historians believe that <a href="https://www.insider.com/bridgerton-resurfaces-theory-queen-charlotte-was-black-2021-1">King George III's wife Queen Charlotte</a> was mixed race as she descended from a branch of the Portuguese royal family who had roots in Africa. There is no conclusive evidence to prove Charlotte's heritage, though, and when the Boston Globe enquired about it to Buckingham Palace in 1999, it was dismissed as unimportant."This has been rumored for years and years," palace spokesman David Buck told the newspaper, according to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/11/29/567012180/the-meaning-of-meghan-black-and-royal-no-longer-an-oxymoron">NPR</a>. "It's a matter of history, and frankly, we've got more important things to talk about."<h2>The royals did little to defend Meghan Markle against racism</h2>Although there has been debate over the specific reasons Markle chose to leave the royal family — and the UK — behind, many experts believed it was at least partly to do with the <a href="https://www.insider.com/british-tabloids-finally-acknowledged-meghan-markles-racism-struggle-2020-6">racist treatment the duchess suffered at the hands of the British tabloids.</a>In the couple's interview with Winfrey, they confirmed that racism was indeed <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-and-meghan-oprah-interview-racism-large-part-leaving-uk-2021-3">"a large part" of why they left the UK</a>. Harry was the only royal to speak in Markle's defense following a series of discriminatory articles, which implied that the duchess' hometown was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3896180/Prince-Harry-s-girlfriend-actress-Meghan-Markles.html">"gang-scarred" and "(almost) straight outta Compton"</a> and that she was <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6621047/How-Meghans-favourite-avocado-snack-fueling-human-rights-abuses-drought-murder.html">"fueling human rights abuses, drought, and murder" for eating avocados.</a>No member of the royal family ever condemned <a href="https://www.insider.com/tabloids-call-harry-meghan-interview-worst-royal-crisis-2021-3">Markle's treatment by the British tabloids</a>, and Harry said "that hurts," as <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-harry-hurt-over-tabloid-racist-treatment-of-meghan-markle-2021-3">Insider's Armani Syed reported</a>. Harry had himself <a href="https://www.insider.com/prince-harry-dating-meghan-markle-statement-2016-11">released a statement</a> addressing the issue right at the start of the couple's relationship in 2016.<div type="image" title="Meghan Markle Royal Wedding 2018" height="723" width="1024" msid="77417034" hostid="261"></div>Markle spoke candidly in 2020 about <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-says-she-was-unprotected-by-royal-family-2020-7">her relationship with the tabloids</a>, saying that the "large number of false and damaging articles" caused "tremendous emotional distress" during her time within the royal household.In the years leading up to the royal wedding, some of the tabloids also targeted the duchess' mother, Doria Ragland. The <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3896180/Prince-Harry-s-girlfriend-actress-Meghan-Markles.html">Daily Mail</a> published photos of Ragland's home and used degrading language to compare it to Kensington Palace."Plagued by crime and riddled with street gangs, the troubled Los Angeles neighborhood that Doria Ragland, 60, calls home couldn't be more different to London's leafy Kensington," the 2016 article reads.The treatment Markle has endured could be compared to the treatment of Karim, who was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/09/queen-victoria-abdul-karim-royal-family-racism">reportedly</a> discriminated against due to his race. False stories about Karim's father's profession were contrived in order to make him seem less suitable for the royal household, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/09/queen-victoria-abdul-karim-royal-family-racism">The Guardian</a>.Queen Elizabeth had never commented on racism being a factor in the Sussexes' departure prior to her latest statement in the wake of the Oprah interview. An <a href="https://www.insider.com/harry-meghan-megxit-stepping-back-queen-announcement-2020-1">official statement</a> in January 2020, following their step back announcement, said she recognized the "intense scrutiny" Markle and Harry had faced.It wasn't until Markle left the royal family that she admitted <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-says-she-was-unprotected-by-royal-family-2020-7">she felt "unprotected" by the royal family's press team</a>, who reportedly prohibited her from defending herself against the media.In the Winfrey interview, Markle confirmed that she was <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-reveals-suicidal-thoughts-oprah-interview-2021-3">banned from seeking professional help</a> when her mental health was deteriorating, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/tyler-perry-provided-harry-meghan-home-and-security-in-la-2021-3">the family was denied security</a> after stepping back from royal life.One of the most striking revelations from the interview, however, was that <a href="https://www.insider.com/royals-concerns-over-archie-skin-tone-meghan-harry-oprah-interview-2021-3">a member of the royal family expressed "concerns"</a> over how dark Harry and Markle's children's skin would be. Neither would elaborate on who the person was, and Harry has since confirmed <a href="https://www.insider.com/queen-skin-meghan-and-harry-baby-itv-2021-3">it wasn't the Queen or Prince Philip.</a> <h2>It's unlikely that the royals will take accountability</h2>It's been more than two years since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the start of the subsequent <a href="https://www.insider.com/global-george-floyd-black-lives-matter-protests-photos-2020-5">Black Lives Matter protests</a> that erupted across the globe. "The question is what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers. They [The royals] care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values," Olisa said in September 2021, adding that the family supported the Black Lives Matter movement.Before the senior aide announced the family's support for the movement, royal experts argued that the royal family hadn't publicly shared support for the movement <a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-prince-harry-black-lives-matter-royal-family-2020-7">because aspects of it could be considered "political."</a>However, they could have shown their support through engaging with anti-racism charities or by making a statement in favor of equality — something that wouldn't have required specifically naming BLM.<div type="image" title="meghan markle the queen" height="1800" width="1200" msid="77417037" hostid="261"></div>Like Markle and Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton held video call engagements with various charities and organizations during the UK lockdown, though BLM and anti-racism charities were not included. Although it's rare for the couple to speak about the topic of racism, it's not unheard of. In 2019 the Duke of Cambridge spoke about racism in soccer, saying he was "fed up" and "bored of it," according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/06/prince-william-racism-in-football-mental-health-visit-club">The Guardian.</a>"Given the protocol that the royals must remain neutral and stay out of politics, it would be difficult for them to explicitly endorse the Black Lives Matter movement," Tatchell said."But nothing is stopping them from making a general statement in support of racial equality and inclusion. Their failure to do that speaks volumes about their white privilege mentality," Tatchell added.As Prince Harry recently said during a <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-meghan-markle-prince-harry-speak-about-black-lives-matter-2020-7">video engagement about racism</a>: "There is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past."It would have been hard to imagine Queen Elizabeth II showing support for BLM — and anti-racism in general — when in her 70 years on the throne, she failed to address the racism that undeniably exists in the institution of the royal family."The longer they choose not to speak, the longer they're choosing to be complicit in white supremacy," Meinzer told Insider."As Desmond Tutu famously said: 'If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor,'" Meinzer added.

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