International Olympics Day 2022: Remembering some of India's greatest Olympians

After participating in the Olympic Games in 1900 for the first time, India kick-started their campaign in the prestigious tournament with a two-medal haul. With athlete Norman Pritchard’s two silver medals in men’s 200m hurdles and men’s 200m sprint, India became the first Asian country to fetch an Olympic medal. Since then, despite enduring various personal challenges, Indian athletes have claimed victory several times in the global sporting event and have inspired many across the world. In 24 Olympic Games to date, India have bagged a total of 35 Olympic medals including 10 gold, nine silver and 16 bronze.  For a long period of time, the country’s men’s hockey team was dominant on the world stage. Among the eight gold medals won by them, six came between 1928 and 1956. Today on the occasion of International Olympic Day, let’s remember some Olympic medalists who have brought pride to India:

1. Abhinav Bindra (gold in Beijing 2008): One of India’s most euphoric moments at the Olympics came in 2008 when shooter Abhinav Bindra won the first individual gold medal for India in the men’s 10m air rifle with a near-perfect 10.8m final shot.
2. Neeraj Chopra (gold in Tokyo 2020): The second Individual gold was bagged by Neeraj Chopra in the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo. It was recorded as India’s first track-and-field medal at any Olympics event.
3. PV Sindhu (silver in Rio 2016): PV Sindhu was on the cusp of victory but lost out in the final to Spain’s Carolina Marin after a spirited 83-minute duel. Sindhu was awarded the silver medal in women’s badminton.
4. Sushil Kumar (bronze in Beijing 2008 and silver in London 2012): Sushil Kumar won the India’s first medal in wrestling for 56 years with a bronze in 2008. Later in 2012, he lost to Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu in the final and returned with the silver medal under his belt.
5. Leander Paes (bronze in Atlanta 1996): Leander Paes ended the three-year wait for an Olympic medal by winning bronze in 1996. He defeated Fernando Meligani in the bronze medal match after suffering a loss in the semi-final against Andre Agassi.
6. Karnam Malleswari (bronze in Sydney 2000): Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari bagged a bronze in the 54kg category in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.
7. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (silver in Athens 2004): Trap Shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore became the first Indian shooter to clinch an Olympic medal. While he lost to UAE’s Shaikh Ahmed Almaktoum in the final, the colonel ensured the first individual silver for India.
8. Mary Kom (bronze in London 2012): Mary Kom made her Olympic debut in 2012 with a bronze medal in the first edition of women’s boxing at the Games.
9. Mirabai Chanu (silver in Tokyo 2020): Ace weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category by lifting a total of 202kg in the Tokyo Olympics.
10. KD Jadhav (bronze in Helsinki 1952): Wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze in 1952 and became the first individual Olympic medalist for India.

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