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With just less than five days until the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the Indian athletes began their preparation and practice ahead of the quadrennial event in Japan. The first batch of the Indian contingent arrived on 18th July 2021.
At the Tokyo Olympics 2020, 124 athletes will represent India in 18 sporting events, out of which 55 women athletes are set to feature in Tokyo. Only five Indian female athletes have managed to bring an Olympic medal from the Summer Games. This includes Karnam Malleswari (2000), MC Mary Kom (2012), Sania Nehwal (2012), PV Sindhu (2016), and Sakshi Malik (2016).
This time around, Indian women athletes are hoping to win more medals at the quadrennial extravaganza in Japan. Let's take a look at Indian women stars who are likely to win an Olympic medal.
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Also read: Tokyo Olympics 2020 opening ceremony: When and where to watch, theme, live streaming details in IST
Top Indian women athletes to watch out for based on their medal chances at the Tokyo Olympics 2020
#1 PV Sindhu (Badminton)
PV Sindhu is certain to make headlines at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 26-year-old is one of India's strong medal hopefuls at the quadrennial event in Japan. She has been seeded sixth in the women's singles.
PV Sindhu first shot to fame after winning the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Three years later, in 2019, she emerged as world champion at the World Championships. In 2021, Sindhu played her first final in 18 months at the Swiss Open, where she lost to Carolina Marin.
PV Sindhu is considered one of the top contenders to win an Olympic medal at the quadrennial event in Japan. Her rival and Rio Olympic gold medalist Carolina Marin's withdrawal from the games led to an increase in Sindhu's chances of winning a coveted gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Nonetheless, PV Sindhu will have her task cut out as she faces other gold medal contenders such as Akani Yamaguchi and Nozomi Okuhara.
Also read: Indian badminton at Tokyo Olympics 2020: All the participants, events, schedule, streaming details
#2 Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
Manu Bhaker will enter the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as one of India's top favorites. The 19-year-old will feature in the 10m air pistol, 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team events. She is the first Indian shooter to compete in three events at the Olympics.
Manu Bhaker has been in the limelight since she clinched the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol event at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. At the 2021 ISSF World Cup, she won a gold medal and two silvers.
Manu Bhaker has won a total of seven gold medals in the ISSF World Cup since 2018. In the 10m air pistol mixed team event, she will be paired with Saurabh Chaudhary at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Considering her success in recent years, she is expected to make headlines in Tokyo.
Also read: Prediction: Will Manu Bhaker win a medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020?
#3 Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)
Vinesh Phogat will compete in the women's 53 kg category as the top seed at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 26-year-old is one of the medal hopefuls for India at the quadrennial event in Japan.
Vinesh had a disappointing campaign at the 2016 Rio Olympics due to a knee injury. This time, she is expected to give her best in Tokyo.
Over the last few years, Vinesh Phogat has been in good form and won medals at major international events, including the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, where she won gold.
In April 2021, Vinesh Phogat won the gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Also read: Phogat family waits in hope for 20-year-old Olympic dream to come true
#4 Elavenil Valarivan (Shooting)
Elavenil Valarivan is one of the Indian shooters to watch out for and also a medal hopeful at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. She will feature in the 10m air rifle individual and mixed team events.
The 21-year-old has been consistent with her performances in recent years. She first burst onto the international scene with a gold medal at the 2018 Junior ISSF World Cup. The following year, Elavenil Valarivan won the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle at the ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In April 2021, Elavenil Valarivan was selected to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. In the 10m air rifle mixed team event, she will be paired with Divyansh Singh Panwar at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Also read: Rifle shooters who can win medals for India at Tokyo Olympics
#5 Mary Kom (Boxing)
Mary Kom is one of the star Indian athletes at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. She will enter into the quadrennial event in Japan as a medal hopeful. The 38-year-old booked her Tokyo berth by advancing to the semi-final at the Asian Qualifiers in March 2020.
The six-time world champion made her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Olympics, where she became the first Indian women boxer to win a medal by winning bronze. Mary Kom failed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, losing in the second round at the World Championships.
The quadrennial event in Japan will be Mary Kom's final Summer Games. She has her eyes set on winning Olympic gold.
Also read: Meet the athletes from North-East India at Tokyo Olympics 2020
#6 Rahi Sarnobat (Shooting)
Rahi Sarnobat is another medal hopeful in shooting for India. At the 2021 ISSF World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, she won the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol and thus boasting her chance of winning an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Hailing from Maharashtra, the 30-year-old has bagged a total of five medals at the ISSF World Cup, including three gold medals, a silver and a bronze medal. Rahi Sarnobat is also an Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medalist in the 25m pistol.
Rahi Sarnobat will enter into the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as world no.1 in the women's 25m pistol.
Also read: List of Indian shooters who will enter the Tokyo Olympics 2020 ranked World No.1
#7 Deepika Kumari (Archery)
Deepika Kumari will head into the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as an experienced Indian athlete as well as a medal hopeful. She previously represented India at the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics.
At the 2021 Archery World Cup Stage 3, Deepika Kumari bagged a hat-trick of gold medals in women's individual, women's team and mixed team events. This achievement helped her reclaim World No. 1 position in the women's archery rankings.
Considering her recent success at the Archery World Cup, Deepika Kumari is likely to make a statement by winning an Olympic at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 27-year-old will enter the quadrennial event in Japan as World No. 1.
Also read: After missing a medal in two successive Olympics, can archer Deepika Kumari break the jinx in Tokyo?
#8 Kamalpreet Kaur (Discus Throw)
Kamalpreet Kaur is a national record holder in the women's discus throw. She qualified for her debut Summer Games at the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 65.06m at the Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships in Patiala, Punjab. Thus, she became the first Indian female discus thrower to breach the 65m mark.
At the Indian Grand 4, Kamalpreet shattered Vikas Gowda's national record of 66.28m by throwing the discus at a distance of 66.59m. Interestingly, her throw would've earned her a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be Kamalpreet Kaur's biggest event of her career. Considering her performance at the domestic level and her national record, the 25-year-old can fetch a medal at the quadrennial event in Japan.
#9 Manika Batra (Table Tennis)
Manika Batra is one of the top Indian women athletes to watch out for at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 26-year-old will feature in the women's singles and mixed doubles events at the quadrennial event in Japan.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist secured her spot for the Tokyo Olympics as the top-ranked second-placed player. Manika Batra represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics but was knocked out in the first round of the women's singles.
Manika Batra will be heading into the quadrennial event in Japan as an outside favorite to win a medal for India. However, she will look to put the best foot forward in Tokyo.
Also read: Indian table tennis at Tokyo Olympics: All participants, events, schedule, streaming details
