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Going for gold: India hopes to win big at CWG
A contingent of 215 Indian athletes will compete across 16 disciplines, including para sports, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games which begins in Birmingham on Thursday with a grand opening ceremony.
A contingent of 215 Indian athletes will compete across 16 disciplines, including para sports, at the 2022 Commonwealth Games which begins in Birmingham on Thursday with a grand opening ceremony. This time, however, India’s medal chances has been depleted by the absence of shooting — a sport responsible for 27% of all CWG medals brought home till date. The country is hoping that stars from other sports step up and pitch in, perhaps drip by drip, to fill the well emptied by shooting’s absence. Here’s a look at the athletes that are carrying the weight of India’s medal ambitions.
Wrestling: Back to relying on an old workhorse
Top medal hopes: Sakshi Malik (62kg), Ravi Dahiya (57kg)
Wrestling has always been one of India’s citadels at the CWG. In Gold Coast 2018, the sport was in second position behind shooting in the medals tally, fetching a total of 12 medals that included five golds. In this edition, the team of 12 (six men and six women) is a star-studded line up, with two Tokyo Olympic medallists (Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia), two-time defending champion Vinesh Phogat (53kg), and Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik (62kg) in the ranks. In absence of shooting, the wrestlers will be counted on to make up add more gold medals to the tally. Malik, who is yet to win a gold in CWG will be motivated to change the colour of her medal, having made a comeback to the national side after a long gap. Phogat will be looking to put behind her disappointment from Tokyo and make a fresh start.
Boxing: New faces, new favourites
Top medal hopes: Lovlina Borgohain (70kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg)
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (70kg) and world champion Nikhat Zareen (50kg) headline India’s might in boxing. Both are eyeing maiden medals at the CWG. In the previous edition, India returned with nine medals (3 gold, 3 silver, 3bronze) in boxing, but all three gold medallists no longer in the team. A lot will depend on how India’s men’s team of eight boxers perform. They disappointed at the Tokyo Olympics and will be pumped to redeem themselves in Birmingham. Amit Panghal (52kg) is eyeing a comeback after the disastrous Tokyo campaign, while veteran Shiva Thapa is searching for his first CWG medal. It will also be an opportunity for youngsters like Sumit Kundu (75kg), Sagar Ahlawat (+92kg), Jaismine Lamboria (60kg), Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) to show their mettle. Boxers from England and Ireland will be their biggest challenge. Britain finished second in boxing medal tally at the Tokyo Olympics and will be looking to stamp their domination in the CWG.
Weightlifting: Expecting to carry the weight
Top medal hopes: Mirabai Chanu, Jeremy Lalrimmunga
Nine medals came from weightlifters in 2018. This time, too, the contingent of eight men and seven women would be expected to do some heavy lifting and break a few records. Tokyo silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, the defending champion in 48kg, will be the strong favourite in 49kg. The contingent has also a silver medal from 2014 edition. Besides, all eyes will be on young Jeremy Lalrinnunga (67kg), who came to the limelight with a gold in Youth Olympic Games in 2018. Besides, Punam Yadav (76kg) is gunning for her third medal at the CWG.
Athletics: An old hurdle to cross
Top medal hopes: M Sreeshankar, Annu Rani
Track and field has always been tough nut to crack for India. The presence of Jamaica, Australia, England, Canada, New Zealand brings a world-class field in athletics. The fact that India have only five gold medals to show in 21 editions of CWG shows how tough it gets. To make matters worse, India’s athletics superstar and Tokyo champion Neeraj Chopra will not be there to defend his javelin title, as he injured himself during the world championships where he won silver medal. In his absence the 43-member track & field’s hopes will rest on long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who has a best of 8.36m this season, javelin thrower Annu Rani and steeplechaser Avinash Sable, who made it to the final of world championships.
In Neeraj’s absence, focus will be on youngsters DP Manu and Rohit Yadav. Manu is the second-best Indian thrower this season (84.35m), while Yadav should be high on confidence having finished 10th at the World Athletics Championships. His best this season is 82.54m. Then there are three triple jumpers, Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chitravel, and Eldose Paul, who made the final at the Worlds, and they will be looking to give their personal bests. Only three medals came in athletics in 2018 (1-1-1) and a good showing here will definitely help India climb ranks.
Badminton: Looking to stamp authority
Top medal hopes: PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen
This is one title two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu will be looking to tick off this time, having lost to Saina Nehwal in the final at Gold Coast 2018. Sindhu has struck timely form with the Singapore Open title. On the men’s side, Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, besides the doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were part of the historic Thomas Cup winning triumph earlier this year, will be keen to stamp their class. Sen, after his exceptional showing in All England and World Championships, is making his CWG debut. With world No.5 Malaysian Lee Zii Jia opting to sit out, world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore will be the biggest threat for gold. Srikanth, who won silver in 2018, will also be eager to change the colour of her medal.
Hockey and cricket: The haunting scars of past
Captains: Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket), Manpreet Singh (men’s hockey) Savita Punia (women’s hockey)
India will carry the scars from 2018 after both the men’s and women’s teams finished fourth in hockey. The women, the 2002 champions, missed bronze to end up fourth in the Tokyo Olympics and then came ninth in this month’s World Cup in Netherlands and Spain. The men though bounced back with bronze in the Asian Games and went on to win bronze in Tokyo — it was India’s first Olympic medal in 41 years. Still, they will have plenty to prove, especially against favourites Australia. They lost the 2010 and 2014 CWG final to Australia and ended up fourth twice.
The Indian women’s cricket team, led by all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, will fancy a medal in the maiden CWG T20 event though Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa are in the eight-team field. India, who failed to reach the ODI World Cup semis this year, will be motivated, unlike their disinterested male counterparts at Kuala Lumpur 1998, when they finished ninth.
