Individual Performances of Indian Athletes ahead of CWG 2022

Individual Performances of Athletes ahead of CWG 2022

With the epidemic wreaking havoc on the world for the past two years, numerous sports events have been canceled or rescheduled, with the Olympics being a classic example.

Due to the COVID scenario, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games were held a year later. Apart from that, there were numerous different competitions taking place in various sports.

In recent years, Indian competitors have had some noteworthy sporting achievements and have come out in top multiple instances.

With CWG 2022 looming around the corner, here are the individual performances of athletes ahead of the mega event,

 

ANSHU MALIK (Wrestling)

Anshu Malik, an Indian freestyle wrestler, claimed silver in the women’s 57 kg category at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway. She is the first Indian wrestler to clinch a silver in the women’s competition at the World Championships.

Anshu won the gold medal at the Cadet Wrestling Championships in the 60 kg bracket. She captured a bronze in the 57 kg category at the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi, India. She also took silver in the women’s 57 kg bout at the 2020 Individual Wrestling World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, the same year.

Malik won the gold medal at the 2021 Asian Wrestling Championships alongside Vinesh Phogat and Divya Kakran. In April this year, she got a bronze medal in the 57 kg bracket in the 2022 Asian Wrestling Championships in Ulaanbaatar.

 

SRIKANTH KIDAMBI (Badminton)

Srikanth Kidambi, renowned Indian badminton sensation, will undoubtedly look back on the last year or two with a broad smile, considering they provided him with one of his most defining career moments.

After bowing out of the 2021 All England Open and being dumped out in the first matchup of the following French Open, he bounced back stronger. Srikanth was the top-seeded player in the 2021 Orleans Masters and progressed to the competition’s quarterfinals.

He also advanced to the semi-finals of the 2021 Hylo Open and the 2021 Indonesia Masters. In addition, he finished fifth in the BWF World Tour Finals in Bali, Indonesia.

Srikanth’s crowning moment occurred when he captured an impressive silver medal in the 2021 BWF World Championships. This incredible performance made him the very first Indian to reach the World Championship finals in men’s singles. To reach the finals, Srikanth eliminated colleague Lakshya Sen in the semifinals.

Kidambi was also a member of the Indian men’s squad for the 2022 Thomas Cup. The group went on to win the Thomas Cup by thrashing Indonesia 3-0 in the decider, with Kidambi dominating his tie against Jonatan Christie.

 

HARMANPREET SINGH (Hockey)

Harmanpreet Singh, India’s top drag-flick expert, captured bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. The defender put up an excellent showing. He masterfully organized the defense and netted penalty corners for fun. Singh recorded six goals in the competition, tying him for the third spot with Tom Wickham.

Harmanpreet, however, was not finished, and neither was the season. He carried his Olympic momentum to the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy. Even though India was eliminated in the semi-finals, his game stood out. With eight goals, Singh became the second-highest goal scorer in that tournament.

 

SAIKHOM MIRABAI CHANU (Weightlifting)

 

 

At the Tokyo Olympics, Indian weightlifting found a hero in Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. She was the only Indian weightlifter to compete at the tournament and the first Indian weightlifter to capture silver in the Olympics, as well as the first Indian weightlifter to kick-start India’s tally at the mega event.

In the 49 kg category, she lifted a total of 202 kgs. She not only earned a silver medal, but she also established a new clean and jerk benchmark with a flawless lift of 115 kgs.

Her most recent accomplishment was a podium finish at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent. She set a new record in the clean and jerk with 119 kg.

 

NEERAJ CHOPRA (Javelin Throw)

From top-tier prospect to undisputed champion. The individual is well-known throughout the country and impossible to disregard. Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy in the javelin throw.

Neeraj became the first Indian Olympian to capture an athletics gold medal and the second solo gold medalist after Abhinav Bindra. It was Neeraj’s decisive medal that enabled India to claim seven medals, eclipsing their previous record of six. Neeraj’s shot of 87.58 m on his second try was pivotal. No other competitor came close to that mark.

He returned to action in 2022, setting a new national record of 89.30 m at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland. After just 15 days, he improved his own national record of 89.30 m, throwing 89.94 meters at the 2022 Stockholm Diamond League in Sweden.