Olympics: To better Beijing tally, India needs to shine today

London: It’s a big day for India at the Olympics. Which day isn’t, you might argue and you are not wrong. But this is BIG, believe me. If none of the athletes competing do well, India’s hope of even equalling — leave aside exceeding — the Beijing medals tally will be in a shambles. For the record, we won three medals in 2008, which is not a mighty number, so anything less will be seen as a slide back to the Dark Ages of Indian sport. In action today is shooter Ronjan Sodhi, who will have taken the range in the double trap even as you read this. Manavjit Singh Sandhu in rapid fire pistol, though not highly regarded, is a dark horse. [caption id=“attachment_402071” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Paes and Sania will play their mixed doubles opener today. AFP[/caption] Then there are the badminton stars, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap, who have been splendid so far in reaching the quarterfinals in the women’s and men’s singles, who take the court in the afternoon. At Wimbledon, Leander Paes and Sania Mirza — always the more likely medallists despite all the drama over the men’s doubles combos — begin their campaign in the mixed doubles. Boxers Vijender Singh and Jai Bhagwan complete the rota. Both have been impressive in their first bouts, but it hardly bears repetition that competition gets stiffer with each passing round. How does the Indian contingent see the situation? “We hope to win as many medals as we did at Beijing,’’ said an official. This is a climb-down from the 8-10 medals that was being projected when the squad left India. That the gap between the expected and the possible should be so large reveals not just the delusive ambitions of sorts officials in the country, but also how little progress has been made in the four years since Beijing. There appears to have been little focus and emphasis on improving standards, investing in young talent, bench-marking regularly against the best in the world. If only hot air could win medals, India would be nudging the top-notchers instead of languishing at the bottom. *****   ******    ******* China’s badminton doubles champion Yu Yang has quit the sport after the scandal over tanking matches erupted and she was one of eight players disqualified by the Badminton World Federation. Showing the same predilection for using social media like so many other star athletes (Usain Bolt is a regular on twitter), Yang posted her retirement on the Chinese microblogging site Welbo. “This is my last competition…goodbye badminton.’’ The banned Chinese players have been censured by their country’s authorities for bringing the game and the Olympics into disrepute, but there are others who believe that the fault lay with the organising committee which chose the round-robin format for the first time. British silver medallist in the mixed doubles at Athens 2004 says that as soon as she heard about the format being revised, she knew there would be problems. She though added that, “It’s unfair to all the players. They just wanted to be medallists for their country. It’s a tactic. This is why you need straight knockouts.” All one can say is that the Olympic spirit, as envisioned by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, has taken a back seat to the urge for winning. But then, this too is hardly new. *****  *****  ***** For cricket buffs, the second Test between England and South Africa, which starts at Headingley today, plays distinct second fiddle to the Olympics but is terribly important for the home country nonetheless. After being whipped in the first Test, critics and skeptics have openly begun to question England’s status as the World’s No 1 side.  Thought invincible at home, they are tottering. The Headingley pitch which traditionally helps seamers is expected to be England’s best ally – till you consider that the opposition attack reads Dale Steyn, Mornie Morkel, Vernon Philander. And South Africa’s batting line-up includes Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB De Villiers, JP Duminy, Jacques Rudolph. To say the least, Andrew Strauss and Co are worried.