Commonwealth Games 2018: 5 incredible records broken by Indians in Gold Coast

The 2018 Commonwealth Games have been one of the most successful runs in terms of the overall medal tally that India has ever witnessed. The entire Indian contingent has displayed sheer brilliance and has delivered some world-class performances, some of which have resulted in the creation of history.

As many predicted, India wrapped up their journey in the Games Down Under at the third position on the overall medals charts. Having won a total of 66 medals – 26 Gold, 20 Silver, and 20 Bronze, the Indian athletes have kept our tricolour soaring high.

Here's looking at 5 incredible records broken or matched by Indians at the Games:

---

#1 Anish Bhanwala

At a tender of age of just 15, Bhanwala stumped all competition standing in his path to glory, and as a result, became India’s youngest ever athlete to win a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games this year. In his historic CWG debut, Anish shot a Games record score of 30 to bag the first prize in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event on April 13.

Born in Karnal Haryana, Anish arrived at the scene with a fruitful season he had last year. At the Junior World Shooting championship in Shul, he won two golds, two silvers and a bronze medal. The adolescent also generated a new world record in transit to sealing the 25-metre standard pistol Gold. He came into the six-man final having outdone the second stage of qualification on top, with a total score of 580 that had 22 central bulls. The youngest in his field, he exhibited nerves of fortitude and steered the more experienced contestants through the event to surface a worthy champion.

#2 Mary Kom

Mary Kom posing with her Gold medal at Gold Coast

India's iconic female boxer celebrated the country’s 18th Gold medal win at the Gold Coast Games with a victory parade on the shoulders of her coach. Mary Kom was the deserved medallist, out-boxing her Northern Ireland adversary. The 35-year-old five-time world champion appeared a tad tense in the first round but got her head back in the game, over the course of the following rounds against Northern Ireland’s Kristina O’Hara, who gave Kom a run for her money and put up a creditable performance.

About five months ago, Mary claimed the Gold at the Asian Championships, before snaring the highest honours at the India Open in January. She bagged a Silver medal at the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Bulgaria ahead of her arrival in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia for the Commonwealth Games.

A Gold from the Commonwealth was the only item lacking in her illustrious collection of awards, including one from the London Olympics in 2012. At the age of thirty-five, Gold Coast was probably her final shot at completing her haul and she grabbed the opportunity by its collar and how!

#3 Neeraj Chopra

Chopra with his Gold at the CWG 2018

The 20-year-old became India’s ever athlete to win a Gold in the javelin throw event. The youngster delivered India’s 21st Gold of the CWG, following his season-best throw of 86.47 metres. Chopra's first attempt resulted in him hammering a mark of 85.50 meters that hurled him to the Gold medal position. Despite faltering during his second throw and hitting a mark of 84.78 meters in his third, Neeraj improved his own score with a winning effort of 86.47 meters in his fourth shot.

His qualification to the Commonwealth Games 2018 came in March, after hurling a javelin to a distance of 85.94m in his sixth effort at the Federations Cup senior national athletics Championships that took place in Patiala. India’s record-breaking Gold medalist has displayed a lot of potential and promise over the last year which has resulted in him being bracketed as one of the country's elite athletes. High acclaim and praises have seemed to become tantamount to Neeraj Chopra.

#4 Manika Batra

Manika Batra in action at the CWG 2018

While some table tennis players find a reason to complain about the volatility spawned by the long-pimpled rubbers, Manika knew exactly what to expect. She was humbly confident of the trouble it may cause the Singaporean outfit, and silently made the most of her knowledge. Eventually, her plans procured rich rewards as India’s ping-pong star proved her doubters and critics wrong when she took control of her meeting against Singapore.

Ranked, 58th on the world table tennis charts, Batra proved her success was anything but a stroke of luck against opponents who were placed much higher on the world rankings. She became the first and the only Indian female table tennis player to ever secure a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games by winning her event.

Flaunting her nails painted in the colours of the nation’s tiranga, Batra has been sensational throughout the Commonwealth Games. Named the ‘Golden Girl’ of India, Manika has won a Gold each in the women’s doubles and singles event, a Silver in the women’s doubles event and a Bronze in the mixed doubles event, this year in Gold Coast.

5. Anas Yahiya

Anas Yahiya

Runner Mohammad Anas Yahiya became the first athlete from the Indian contingent to go through into the finals of the 400m event after legendary sprinter Milkha Singh. While Yahiya did not precisely create or break a record during the course of his qualification, the twenty-three-year-old equalled the one that was set by the Flying Sikh (Milkha Singh) back in 1958 at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Milkha had won the gold medal in Melbourne with a sprint timed at 46.6 seconds which made him the first Indian ever to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games since Independence.

Yahiya completed his race with a time clocked at 45.44 seconds, which safeguarded his admission into the finals as he beat Jamaican Rusheen McDonald by the slightest of margins of only 0.33 seconds.