Olympics - India and close finishes

5. Kunjarani Devi

One of the most decorated Indian women weightlifter,could only manage a 4^th in the 2004 Athens Olympics in the 48 kg category with a total of 210kg (snatch +clean and jerk). She managed 20 kg less than the winner, which was won by Nurcan Taylan of Turkey with a world record lift of 210 kg. This time around, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Katulu Ravi Kumar and N Soniya Chanu will be representing India in the weightlifting competition in the London Olympics. Indian weightlifters had earned only two quota places for London Olympics — one each in men’s and women’s sections – at the Asian Championships and don’t have any realistic chance of winning any medal.

6. Hockey team

This was the last realistic time when India had a chance of winning a medal in Hockey. Tears rolled down Dhanraj Pillay’s as well as many other Indian sports lovers eyes, as Poland equalized in the 69^th min of the match, to tie India with South Korea on points and eventually sending South. Korea to the semi’s. Irony was that India and South Korea were level on points, but they had beaten India 2-0 earlier in the group stages, that being the only loss India faced at those Games. This time around Indian Hockey Team has qualified for the games, but chance of winning any medal are bleak.