Olympics 2020 has been a landmark edition for Team India as the country has sent its largest-ever contingent to compete at the Games. With 120 athletes competing across various sports, the country is hoping to better its medal tally compared to the previous editions. While it may be an experience of a lifetime for some, expectations are ringing high on the likes of Vinesh Phogat and PV Sindhu who stand as genuine medal contenders for the country.
The first day of the Games started on an extremely positive note for the country when Mirabai Chanu brought joy to the whole nation with her Silver medal in Weightlifting. With one medal in the bag, there are more to follow for sure. A country of 1.3 billion people has their hopes and dreams of an Olympic medal pinned on a very few. Here are four fantastic women who are leading the charge as our countries’ medal contenders at Olympics 2020.
PV SINDHU (Badminton)
The return from Rio Olympics back in 2016 was meagre but it was India’s ace shuttler PV Sindhu who won a Silver medal at the Games. 2016 was a different year for Sindhu as compared to the 2020 Olympics. She went to Rio as a young and promising badminton player who had nothing to lose. This is a new ball game altogether. Sindhu is one of the few genuine medal contenders for the country and expectations are high.
Since 2019, when she was crowned World Badminton Champion, her form has been a tad unpredictable. However, she has had a promising start to Olympics 2020, winning the first match in straight sets. The 26-year-old from Hyderabad is India’s top medal prospect in this edition of the Games.
MARY KOM (Boxing)
Mary Kom’s story is the most inspiring one anyone could find at the 2020 Olympics. How a 38-year-old mother of four keeps giving her all for her sport and her country is absolutely commendable. Magnificent Mary is yet another medal prospect for India but her route to a medal may be a tricky one. She had a tricky opponent in the first round but Mary’s experience proved to be a gamechanger. She’ll need all her know-how in the next rounds.
This may well be Mary’s last Olympic Games and the whole nation would be rooting for the Iron Lady from Manipur.
DEEPIKA KUMARI (Archery)
When it comes to Archery, we cannot look past Deepika Kumari. She just recently won three gold medals at the Archery World Cup in Paris and is riding high on confidence coming into Olympics 2020.
She is now the world number one in the women’s recurve category. Kumari has won nine gold, 12 silver and seven bronze medals at various World Cups and will be looking to add the Olympic medal to her tally in Olympics 2020.
VINESH PHOGAT (Wrestling)
Hailing from the world-famous wrestling family, Vinesh Phogat is raring to go at the Olympics 2020. She is the current world number one in the 53kg category and is coming to the Games on the back of some crucial wins.
Vinesh Phogat has gone through a lot since the 2016 Olympics where she suffered a freak injury. She returned to India in a wheelchair and many thought her professional wrestling career was over. She has a second chance to prove her mettle and Vinesh would be eager to show the world what she is capable of and get a much-desired medal for her country.
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