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The Tokyo Olympics is bound to be a gold mine for Indian sports this time. Though the Games have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Olympic Committee is more than ready to go ahead with it this July, even if it means staging an audience-less Olympics. The Games this time will be a golden opportunity for nations like India to make it count.
As of now, India is already sending more than 100 athletes to the Games in more than 17 sports, their second largest contingent since the Rio Olympics of 2016. This includes a historic debut in fencing from CA Bhavani Devi, and a surprise return for Indian sailors to the games.
One should not be surprised if our boys and girls return with a historic double-digit medal tally, the best since the 2012 London Olympics.
One might think that we are not being serious, but this time, Team India is more than capable of making the impossible possible. The Youth Olympics is often considered by many to reflect a country's position in various sports. If we go by this logic, India is very well capable of a great showing at the Tokyo Olympics.
In the 2018 edition of the Youth Olympics, India created history by winning 3 gold, 9 silver and 1 bronze medals. This edition also saw an end to the medal drought in field hockey, as Team India won both silver medals in Hockey 5s, the T20 version of field hockey. This was India's first victory in Olympic hockey of any level.
The above facts, as such, should be more than enough to describe our potential at Tokyo Olympics. On paper, we have some very strong athletes who are very well capable of shining in Tokyo.
Here are some of the names who can make the golden dream a reality.
1. Saurabh Chaudhary
One of the top contenders to win an Olympic gold medal this year is the former junior world champion Saurabh Chaudhary. Even before the lad from Meerut had turned 20, he had created a sensation in the world of pistol shooting.
Normally, shooters from South Korea are considered the masters in the world of pistol shooting. However, Saurabh has challenged their supremacy both at the junior and senior level single-handedly. In 2018, when he won the ISSF Junior World Championship, his final score was enough to break the record of the senior world champion, Jin Jong Oh.
He also scripted history by becoming India's first pistol shooter to win an Olympic gold medal at any level. He won a gold medal in the Boy's 10 meter pistol shooting at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics in 2018. As such, when it comes to the Olympics, he is a prime contender for a historic podium finish and even a historic gold medal is possible.
The only thing Saurabh needs to keep in mind is not to miss out on the crucial few points that separate a finalist from an Olympic champion. This was something that denied Jitu Rai, a champion pistol shooter, a sure-shot Olympic medal in the Men's 10 m. air pistol at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
2. Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
Another prime contender for a historic Olympic gold is Pusarla Venkata Sindhu. One of the most consistent performers in Indian badminton, PV Sindhu has come a long way from being just the 'giant killer' to becoming the first Indian to win a BWF World Championship of any kind at any level.
PV Sindhu had scripted history in 2013 when she clinched a bronze medal at the BWF World Championships, the first individual to do so since Prakash Padukone. She followed it up with another bronze medal in 2014. Except for 2015 she has won medals in every edition, including a historic gold at the 2019 World Championships.
PV Sindhu also became the first individual woman to win an Olympic silver medal of any kind. She could have won a historic gold in the Rio Olympics itself. However, luck was not on her side and she went down fighting to Spanish shuttler Carolina Marin in the final despite winning the first set.
However, this time, PV Sindhu may get lucky as well. Carolina Marin has suffered a knee injury and her chances of participating at the Olympics are in doubt. If PV Sindhu does not suffer from 'final phobia', she can script history at Tokyo for sure.
3. Bajrang Punia
Sushil Kumar Solanki was considered the man who could bring India a historic Olympic gold in wrestling. However, his career is all but over. But one man is still capable of fulfilling the dream of every Indian to see an Olympic gold medal for India in wrestling.
This man is Bajrang Punia. Bajrang is to wrestling what Sindhu is to badminton. Extremely consistent and capable of creating surprises, the famous pupil of Yogeshwar Dutt [who won bronze at London Olympics 2012] can very well bring home a historic Olympic gold medal.
Right now, Bajrang is at the peak of his career. He has medals from practically every championship known to a wrestler. The only medal that is not in his collection is one from an Olympic. But Bajrang is not a guy who will be satisfied with just a bronze or silver.
He is the current Commonwealth champion. He was on the podium at the World Wrestling Championships in both 2018 and 2019. He is almost invincible in his category, and as such, he is the favourite for a gold medal in his category.
The only chink in his armor is his record against world champion and Asian champion Takuto Otoguro of Japan. He is the only wrestler against whom Bajrang has been known to be slightly jittery. If he manages to overcome this challenge, nothing on earth can stop him from bringing home the gold.
4. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
Another woman who has the potential to create history at the Olympics is Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. In all probability, she is the only player who would represent India in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics.
The wrestler who competes in the 48 kg. category, is the only Indian to have won a gold medal at the IWF World Championships apart from the iconic Karnam Malleswari. Mirabai scripted history by winning the top honors in the 2017 edition. Only Karnam Malleswari had managed to win medals at this stage before her when she went on a medal spree from 1993 to 1996.
The Manipuri weightlifter can do what even Karnam Malleswari couldn't at the Sydney Olympics. However, in order to ensure that, she needs to do a few things. One, she needs to keep herself sane in snatch. She also needs to keep her back pain in control. Chanu needs to be wary of the Chinese challenge, however if she wants to win gold. If Mirabai overcomes these, the sky is the limit for her.
5. Vinesh Phogat
The lesser known, but much more consistent, wrestler from the famous Phogat clan, Vinesh Phogat is also a top contender for a historic Olympic gold medal.
Vinesh could have achieved her goal at the Rio Olympics itself. However, an unfortunate injury at the hands of her Chinese opponent Sun Yanan forced her out. The injury almost threatened to destroy her career.
However, Vinesh has nerves of steel. She has bounced back on the mat and given even the best a run for their money. She not only won a 2nd consecutive gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, but also scripted history by becoming the first female wrestler from India to win a gold medal at the Asian Games in 2018.
Her inspiring comeback was cemented by a historic bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships, for which she was nominated for a Laureus World Sports Award. As such, there is almost nothing that can stop this girl from adding the most valuable medal to the collection of the Phogat clan: An Olympic gold.
However, like Bajrang Punia, Vinesh has to overcome the Japanese challenge in order to script history. Once she does this, history awaits her.
Surprise Packages -
Apart from these 5, there are some others as well who can spring a surprise by winning an unlikely gold.
1) Deepak Punia -
The young junior world champion almost scripted history when he bulldozed his way into the finals of the Wrestling World Championships 2019. He was only the fourth Indian to do so after Bishambar Singh, Sushil Kumar and Amit Kumar. However, stomach cramps prevented him from landing a shock defeat of the reigning Olympic champion, Hassan Yazdani from Iran.
2) Amit Panghal -
The young Naib Subedar from Bhiwani Club in Haryana is to boxing what Bajrang Punia is to wrestling, PV Sindhu is to badminton and Rishabh Pant is to cricket. He is not only popular, but also equally successful in his sport.
He is the first Indian to enter the finals of the World Championships of boxing. Can he become the first Indian to win Olympic gold in boxing? Maybe he can, if he keeps his wits.
3) MC Mary Kom -
For this Manipuri boxer, age is just a number. A six-time world champion, she is in the fray for a surprise Olympic medal, which would undoubtedly be her last. Can she turn it into gold? She can, because whenever people have written her off, Mary Kom has proved them wrong.
