Manu Bhaker is on a roll. The shooter clinched a second bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics and became the only other Indian to win two Olympic medals in one Olympic edition. The other Indian to achieve this feat was Norman Pritchard, who won two silver medals in the 200-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash at the 1900 Paris Olympics.

But was Pritchard an Indian?

Pritchard was born in Alipore, Kolkata, in 1875 and attended St. Xaviers College in the city.

He dominated the Bengal province's 100-yard sprint title for seven consecutive years from 1894 to 1900, setting a meet record in 1898–99. Additionally, he clinched victories in the 440 yards (¼ mile) run and the 120 yards hurdles. Pritchard then finished second in the 120-yard hurdles at the 1900 AAA Championships. (Paris Olympics 2024 Day 5 Live Updates)

He subsequently became the first Indian athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, the first to win an Olympic medal and two medals in a single edition. He reached the final of the 110-meter hurdles but did not finish. He participated in the 60-meter and 100-meter sprints, where he did not qualify for the finals.

Beyond his track achievements, Pritchard contributed to Indian sports administration as the Secretary of the Indian Football Association from 1900 to 1902. In 1905, he relocated permanently to Britain.

However, despite these clear indicators of his Indian heritage, a controversy surrounds Pritchard's nationality. British historians argue that Pritchard was British, not Indian. They point to his birth into a colonial family as evidence, with British Olympic historian Ian Buchanan stating that Pritchard was “undisputedly British,” despite his birthland being India.

According to Buchanan, the New York Times called Pritchard an “Englishman.” The Olympics’ official website states that he entered the 1900 AAA Championships as a member of both the London AC and the Bengal Presidency AC — making it harder to determine his nationality.

An article by The Telegraph mentions that The Field magazine referred to the athlete as an “Indian champion” and that of the nations that participated in the Paris Olympics, “only a handful of countries had registered their National Olympic Committees. These did not include either India or Great Britain.”

While compelling arguments on both sides have divided public opinion on Pritchard’s nationality, the IOC's stance is clear. They credit India with Pritchard’s nationality, providing a strong case for India’s claim to the athlete.

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