[ad_1]

The Tokyo Olympics turned into out to be something of a watershed for India in more techniques than one. The country won seven medals, which surpassed its previous best possible conceivable tally of six medals which was once won at the 2012 London Olympics.

Neeraj Chopra could do something no Asian javelin thrower has achieved before. (REUTERS)
Neeraj Chopra would possibly do something no Asian javelin thrower has completed previous to. (REUTERS)

Neeraj Chopra turn into the main Indian inside the country’s independent history to win a follow and field medal, and that too a gold. The Indian men’s hockey team won a medal for the main time since 1980 via taking bronze after a thriller for the ages towards Germany. PV Sindhu turn into merely the second Indian athlete, and the main woman from the country, to win medals at two consecutive Olympics. Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya added to Indian wrestling’s proud tally at the Olympics while Lovlina Borgohain turn into the third boxer from the country to win a medal.

India’s previous Olympics after a report haul

With the exception of the wrestlers, all of the ones athletes will turn up for India another time at the Paris Olympics starting July 26. While all of them are plenty of the medal contenders in their respective sport, with a few new additions to that file as neatly, Indian fans might be wary of what got here in regards to the last time the country tried to use up on a report haul. That was once at Rio 2016 after India won six medals at London 2012. 3 out of the six medallist – badminton giant identify Saina Nehwal, freestyle wrestler and four-time Olympian Yogeshwar Dutt, and rifle shooter Gagan Narang, featured inside the Indian contingent they usually all failed to be able to upload every other to their tally.

There were no medals in taking photos for the main time since 2004 and no medals in boxing for the main time since 2008. Abhinav Bindra disregarded out on a podium via phase some extent while Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna finished fourth in combined doubles tennis. The principle medal in spite of everything were given right here as just a little of of a surprise finish consequence with Sakshi Malik becoming the main Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal via securing bronze. Sindhu then followed cross smartly with, winning silver in women’s singles badminton after a gold medal have compatibility for the ages towards Spain’s Carolina Marin. That was once all the medals that the contingent won.

A few historic firsts realistically possible

Indian sport has never spotted the rest like javelin giant identify Neeraj Chopra. He is not the main Olympic medallist from the country to avoid the dip in potency and just right fortune that has plagued a lot of fellow individuals in that esteemed club after their large 2d at the Video video games. Sindhu and boxing great Mary Kom have every won gold at Global Championships of their respective sports activities actions and however, nobody has quite completed it like Neeraj. He enters the ones Video video games since the reigning Olympic, Asian and Global champion in men’s javelin. Neeraj has prioritised his well being over competitions this three hundred and sixty five days, even giving the Paris Diamond League a miss and regardless of how pragmatic one is also with their predictions, it is not the least bit an exaggeration to say that he is favourite to win gold another time at the ones Olympics, an achievement that can be outstanding among Asian javelin throwers, let alone those from India.

Sindhu hasn’t had the best of runs via any stretch of imagination since Tokyo 2020. In contemporary tournaments, she out of place inside the early rounds of every the Indonesia and Singapore Open and hasn’t been in movement given that former. Then again, merely her recognition to come back again excellent in large tournaments makes her one in every of India’s brightest medal hopes. If she manages to get a trinket in Paris, she’s going to transform India’s most successful Olympian with 3 medals. Her fellow badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have completed a number of firsts in men’s doubles given that Tokyo Olympics. They’ve now not competed given that Singapore Open in early June, where they out of place inside the first round on the other hand have a possibility at becoming the main Indians to win an Olympic medal in men’s doubles badminton.

Boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen are every in pageant to medal in Paris. Nikhat is already a two-time world champion going into the ones Video video games while Lovlina is looking to transform the third Indian after Sushil Kumar and Sindhu to win medals at consecutive Olympics. She will even transform the fourth to do it, if weightlifter Mirabai Chanu gets there previous to her. Mirabai had started India’s medal rush in Tokyo via winning silver in 49kg weightlifting.

Eyes on the shooters another time

Regardless of the seven medals that the country won at Tokyo, there may also be many that may’ve argued that it’ll must have in truth been much more had the shooters performed the way in which by which did in all the years major up to the Video video games. Manu Bhaker could be making her 2nd Video video games glance, having had a forgettable enjoy in Tokyo. She has been in excellent nick inside the intervening years, winning the women’s 25m pistol team gold at the Asian Video video games and securing an Olympic quota via finishing fifth inside the women’s 25m pistol fit at the Asian Taking pictures Championships 2023. Bhaker is the only Indian athlete to be competing at a couple of fit, putting her inside the ring for women’s 10m air pistol and women’s 25m pistol. 23-year-old shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar will lift India’s hopes inside the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions in Paris.

Hockey chances up inside the air

The men’s hockey team were plenty of the favourites to finish on the podium in Tokyo they usually lived up to those expectations via winning bronze. Since then, they have had to take care of quite a few hits. A disappointing Global Cup advertising and marketing marketing campaign led to transport instructor Graham Reid being modified via Craig Fulton. The team has dialed down its attacking intensity underneath Fulton and that has ended in them looking a a lot more cast at the once more, something which have been a subject matter underneath Reid.

Fulton led India to gold at the 2022 Asian Video video games and the manner throughout which India dominated the teams from their continent there and at the Asian Championships previous to that made it look like they are going to realistically goal at upgrading the colour of their Olympic medal in Paris. Then again, then were given right here a tour of Australia throughout which they out of place all 5 video video games they carried out and a slightly disappointing European leg of the Skilled League, all of which leaves India seventh on the ratings going into the Olympics. They also have a tough workforce consisting of Belgium, Australia and Argentina, all ranked above them, New Zealand who had dumped them out of the Global Cup, and Ireland.