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Anjali Bhagwat
She's in superb form and that makes her a favourite.
Date of birth: December 5, 1969
Event: 10-meter Rifle
First Olympics appearance: 2000 Sydney Olympics
Records at Olympics: -
Achievements: Four gold medals at the Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002, silver at the Busan Asiad Games, gold in World Cup 2003
Here’s another person who is a serious medal contender for India. Anjali Bhagwat is in superb form since 2002. In fact, that year was the best in her career – she won four golds at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, was world number one, won silver at the World Cup and in the Asiad Games.
Anjali first came into limelight during the Sydney Olympics, four years back where she almost won a surprise medal. Her reputation has been enhanced by victory in the elite World Cup Finals after gold in a preceding World Cup in 2003. Those successes came on top of her "champion of champions" crown won in 2002, when she beat the world's best shooters in an unofficial mixed event during the world championships. Anjali has raised the profile of the sport in India by becoming only the second Indian woman to reach an Olympic final as a last-minute wildcard, narrowly ending up seventh.
Her favourite is the 10-metre rifle event.
Last year Anjali was in the eye of a storm following the announcement of Rajiv Khel Ratna Awards. While runner KM Beenamol was given the award, Anjali was left in the lurch. Angered by what she saw as injustice, Anjali raised hew and cry insisting that she richly deserved the nation’s highest sporting award. A disgruntled Anjali is reported to have said, “I had a wonderful 2002. I was ranked number one in the world and bagged four Commonwealth gold medals, silver in the World Cup and in the Asian Games. If this performance is not enough then I cannot say (what determines the winner).”
Oozing confidence Anjali is said to be very tough mentally. But she is aware the going will be tougher at Athens in August. As world number two she knows that the Chinese and South Koreans will give her a stiff challenge.
