We are only one month and a few days away from the world’s largest sporting event taking place in Japan’s capital city. The 32nd edition of these games will undoubtedly be the greatest and most spectacular event in history, with over 11000 athletes from over 200 countries expected to compete. The Summer Olympics will be held for the second time in Tokyo, with the first being held in 1964.
With the wait of the Tokyo Olympics since last year has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the anticipation of the participants and fans has increased tremendously too.
Our Indian players have been training rigorously to qualify for the Summer Olympics, and here are a few outstanding players that have a big chance at winning India some medals.
- Bajrang Punia (Wrestling)
The 25-year-old wrestler from Jhajjar, Haryana, and a former World No. 1 who was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna-India’s greatest athletic honour, would be striving for the country’s first-ever Gold Medal in Wrestling at the highest level. After winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2019, Bajrang won the yellow metal at the Asian Games in Jakarta before capturing his second Asian Championships gold in China last year after holding down some of the greatest names in his category.
क्या आप जानते हैं कि खेल का मेरा पसंदीदा हिस्सा क्या है? इस बड़े स्तर पर खेलने का मौका!
📷 – @wrestling pic.twitter.com/RfXn5ubj2j— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) May 20, 2021
In September of last year, he won the bronze medal at the World Wrestling Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, securing his Olympic quota. He had previously won a silver medal in the 2019 World Championships and a bronze medal in the 2013 event in Budapest.
Ranked No. 2 in the world, Bajrang is currently behind the reigning World and former European Champion Gadzhimurad Gazigandovich Rashidov of Russia.
- Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Weight lifting)
Mirabai Chanu made history on Saturday, becoming the first and only Indian weightlifter to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics after finishing second in the Absolute Rankings.
On Saturday, the International Weightlifting Federation released its Absolute Ranking list, which ranked Mirabai Chanu second in the 49kg category (4133,6172 points).
I am happy with my performance at the Asian Championship 2021. Thank you everyone for your love and support. I will continue to work hard and improve myself. pic.twitter.com/9pJERrVj80
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) April 18, 2021
Chanu was previously placed fourth, but North Korea’s withdrawal from Tokyo 2020 boosted her to second place.
Chanu is one of India’s top medal chances at the Games this year, and she recently demonstrated her potential by breaking the world record in clean and jerk to earn bronze at the Asian Weightlifting Championships.
Chanu lifted 86kg in snatch and a world record of 119kg in clean and jerk for a total of 205kg to set a new world record in clean and jerk while also bettering her own national record in the process.
- Deepika Kumari (Archery)
Deepika Kumari, a seasoned campaigner, and former World No. 1, earned an Olympic quota after winning gold at the 21st Asian Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. She defeated her compatriot Ankita Bhakat 6-0 in a one-sided final despite competing without a national flag due to World Archery’s suspension of the Archery Association of India.
Ranked world’s No. 9 female recurve archer, married fellow Indian archer and former World Championships silver medallist Atanu Das last year. Deepika, who won the yellow metal in World Cup Stage 3 in 2018 after a six-year absence, also won bronze in the World Cup Finals in Samsun, Turkey the same year.
- Neeraj Chopra (Javelin throw)
Neeraj Chopra, an Olympic-bound Indian javelin thrower, won an event in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday with a best performance of 83.18m in his first international competition in over a year. Chopra won the javelin event at the Meeting Cidade de Lisboa after throwing the spear 83.18 metres in his sixth and final throw.His second, third, and fifth throws were all fouls, but he threw 78.50 metres on his fourth attempt at the Lisbon University stadium in windy conditions.
Summer, Winter or Rain; nothing should come in between your Aim. Just like @Amstrad_India All Season Hot & Cold AC. #AllSeasonAC #InverterAC #GetRealGetAmstrad #AimForGold pic.twitter.com/AtZTfjNjNS
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) February 14, 2021
Francisco Fernandes, a local athlete, finished second in a six-man tournament with a best throw of 57.25 metres.The 23-year-old Indian, who has not competed in an international event since qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in South Africa in January of last year, arrived in Lisbon on Sunday.Chopra had broken his own national record with a throw of 88.07m in Patiala at the Indian Grand Prix 3 in March. He had qualified for the Olympics with a throw of 87.86m, which bettered the qualifying mark of 85m, at an event at Potchefstroom, South Africa, in January last year.
- Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
Manu Bhaker, a 22-year-old shooter from Jhajjar, Haryana, is currently ranked fourth in the world in the women’s 10m Air Pistol category. In the last couple of years, she has won 11 gold medals and one silver medal in international events at various levels.Manu went on to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, setting a new Games record, after becoming the first shooter and the first female athlete from the country to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympics in 2018. She then defeated two-time World Cup finals champion Alejandra Zavala to win gold at the World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico.
It always seems impossible until Done 🇮🇳 जय हिंद। pic.twitter.com/M2a6JlQP7u
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) May 6, 2021
Apart from shooting she is a born talent as she excelled in other events like boxing, tennis, karate, skating, and cricket. With her exceptional record, Manu would set out on a quest to become India’s youngest medal winner at the Olympics.